Prom 59 (27.8.12): The Broadway Sound

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Monday 27 August at 8.00 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

After last year’s celebration of the Hollywood screen musical, John Wilson and his high-octane orchestra – whose technicoloured performances, according to one critic, offer ‘the auditory equivalent of a steam-clean’ – present a tribute to the composers and arrangers responsible for creating the Broadway Sound – among them such legendary tunesmiths as Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Vincent Youmans, Richard Rodgers and Frank Loesser.

With a cast of leading soloists, the concert includes excerpts from:-
Show Boat, No, No, Nanette, On Your Toes,Kiss Me, Kate and Annie Get Your Gun.

Maida Vale Singers
John Wilson Orchestra
John Wilson conductor

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

You know, I absolutely love Showboat.

[amac4165]

You know, I absolutely love Showboat.

Just back from the hall - excellent concert !

The encore was fantastic - not sure how 24 tap dancers sounded on radio

funniest moment of the proms so far - elderly couple decided to leave just as the encore start - got about half way up the stairs to the left of the orchestra whereupon the curtains were flung back and 24 dancers in top hat, tails and spats all come "hoofing" down the staircase. For a few moments it looked like they were going to get swept up onto the stage !

[Anna]

Only caught the last 15 mins and the hoofers, it sounded great. I do enjoy the John Wilson Proms. It's on tv on September 1st and repeated, sometime I guess, on an afternoon on R3, have no idea when. I also had no idea Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) was a serious singer!

[amac4165]

. I also had no idea Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) was a serious singer!

He did the MGM one a few years back - from a TV documentary a while back he loves the music which is why there is so much of it in Family Guy and to a lesser extent American Dad.

I should imagine he did the prom it for the love of it ! I doubt very much he needs the money

[Nick Armstrong]

Only caught the last 15 mins and the hoofers, it sounded great. I do enjoy the John Wilson Proms. It's on tv on September 1st and repeated, sometime I guess, on an afternoon on R3, have no idea when. I also had no idea Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) was a serious singer!

Amazing isn't it. I took some aged Ps to the MGM Prom the other year when he was singing. Great stuff!

I agree with amac that he certainly doesn't do it for the fee. Forbes lists his annual earnings for the year to May 2012 as c. $36 million - that's a few million ahead of the likes of Rafa Nadal, Brad Pitt and Tom Hanks...

[Anna]

Amazing isn't it. I took some aged Ps to the MGM Prom the other year when he was singing. Great stuff!

But, when are we to get Brian the Dog and Stewie at the Proms?
I look forward to viewing this and hope your Aged Ps do as well. Proms are about fun, not just furrowed brows and introspection.

[VodkaDilc]

I also had no idea Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) was a serious singer!

This is a name I had never heard of. I've "Googled" him and I'm still none the wiser. Am I hopelessly out of touch?

[Nick Armstrong]

I'm still none the wiser.

But are you better informed?



You presumably found his wikipedia biography? He created (and provides voices for) the two animated shows that are the backbone of BBC3 TV's evening schedule virtually every day as far as I can see. And he sings at the odd Prom. And a lot of other things. And he's a good bloke to boot, by all accounts.

[VodkaDilc]

But are you better informed?



You presumably found his wikipedia biography? He created (and provides voices for) the two animated shows that are the backbone of BBC3 TV's evening schedule virtually every day as far as I can see. And he sings at the odd Prom. And a lot of other things. And he's a good bloke to boot, by all accounts.

Slightly. At first, I thought we were talking about Seth Armstrong (in keeping with the current obsession with those bearing that surname), who was, I recall, a character in early editions of Emmerdale Farm.

(I should perhaps add that BBC3 is not one of my television channels of choice.)

[marvin]

Wow, what a fabulous prom. Such talent as shown by the John Wilson Orchestra and accompanying singers and Maida Vale singers and of course those dancers. Even though I am a Classical fanatic this was probably my TV prom of this season.

[VodkaDilc]

Wow, what a fabulous prom. Such talent as shown by the John Wilson Orchestra and accompanying singers and Maida Vale singers and of course those dancers. Even though I am a Classical fanatic this was probably my TV prom of this season.

Just a few days until the Bernstein Mass!! It will be a long-awaited reminder of a sensational evening at the Albert Hall. My TV Prom of the season!

[marvin]

Just a few days until the Bernstein Mass!! It will be a long-awaited reminder of a sensational evening at the Albert Hall. My TV Prom of the season!

Hmmmm.... masses, massed choirs and Bernstein's music isn't my cup of tea but each to their own.
When I saw the play list last night, for the John Wilson concert I thought that I would be FF through a lot of it (I had recorded it) but was surprised how excellent it was, even on the lesser know pieces (to yours truly). In fact the only piece I did FF through was the Bernstein excerpt!

[VodkaDilc]

Hmmmm.... masses, massed choirs and Bernstein's music isn't my cup of tea but each to their own.
When I saw the play list last night, for the John Wilson concert I thought that I would be FF through a lot of it (I had recorded it) but was surprised how excellent it was, even on the lesser know pieces (to yours truly). In fact the only piece I did FF through was the Bernstein excerpt!

I have not watched the Broadway Prom yet. My previous experience of the Wilson Proms is that the orchestral parts are stunningly good, but the vocal sections require the FF facility. Fake American accents just drive me to distraction.

[marvin]

I have not watched the Broadway Prom yet. My previous experience of the Wilson Proms is that the orchestral parts are stunningly good, but the vocal sections require the FF facility. Fake American accents just drive me to distraction.

Some of the singers ARE American and so your criticism is a bit unfair in those cases.