Prom 58 - 26.08.13: Light Organ Prom

[Ravensbourne]

The Fish Slapping Dance

How come nobody has pointed out that, at 37:10, he performed Monty Python's Fish Slapping Dance?

[bluestateprommer]

on paper that adds up to 33 minutes [shortest prom ever ?], perhaps there will be a lot of chat - which might be more interesting than the music

The missing work from the BBC Proms listing was RH's arrangement for organ of Roger Quilter's A Children's Overture, which does fill out the running time a bit, 10:48 or so. (It was missing from the Forum calendar entry too, but it's there now [unlike the BBC Proms official entry - ahem]). Of course, there was also the encore. BTW, just for the record, the last performance of the Quilter at The Proms, per The Proms Archive, in its orchestral version (natch), was 1958.

I have to say that this Prom totally surprised me, in the best possible ways. I had kind of "meh" expectations going in, regarding the nature of the repertoire. What I did not expect was just how genial and enjoyable a host Richard Hills would be, as he spoke about the works, once past Christopher Cook's own general introduction and introduction of the first work. His mid-concert chat with CC also went very well, once past CC's understandable slip of Billy Mayerl's name as "Richard Mayerl". RH straddles the classical-light music/"pops" (you'll forgive the Americanism, I trust) divide very well in his spoken introductions. In addition, RH's musicianship is outstanding, as shown throughout the concert.

In all the publicity and hooplah over the John Wilson Orchestra's Prom on the same day, it's unfortunate that this organ Prom may get ignored as a result. That would be a shame, as it's a real sleeper and the one big surprise for me, at least, of this summer's Proms on iPlayer. I'm sorry that I listened to it rather late in its iPlayer spell, as now there's just a few hours left to listen to it. I strongly recommend anyone who hasn't heard to catch it, if you can.

[Pabmusic]

A Hammond organ concert next year?

[MrGongGong]

I thought the Light Organ must have been something Scriabin dreamed up for one of his extravagant late inspirations

Sadly it seems not

http://www.strandarchive.co.uk/history/colourmusic1.htm

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Quilter's Children's Overture is a beautifully crafted work. I often play the piano solo version in local recitals, but the piano duet version is even better, but difficult to track down.