Prom 59 - 26.08.13: Hollywood Rhapsody Prom

[aeolium]

I very much enjoyed the TV broadcast of this Prom, especially the Waxman pieces and the Scott Bradley. Contrary to those who think the music is worthless without the images (or perhaps even with them) I was interested to listen to the music in its own right - which it is rarely possible to do when watching a film - and the ingenuity behind some of the compositions stood out in this way. For instance, the restless 'car journey' music in Herrmann's Psycho score was worth hearing on its own without the images. And the subtelty of Scott Bradley's scoring for animation stood out. It shouldn't be forgotten that he was classically trained and an admirer of Schoenberg, even using 12-tone music in some of his animation music, remarking "I hope Dr Schoenberg will forgive me for using his system to produce funny music, but even the boys in the orchestra laughed when we were recording it."

The orchestra played with enormous panache and exhilaration, as well as great versatility. It was a Prom that imo completely deserved to be on TV.

[Alain Maréchal]

Where are people's imagination? It's similar to concert performances to opera, in a way. I prefer the audio aspect of it than the actual footage of the film The reason being is that I like to imagine in my mind what is going on in the film in question, thus relating the music in that. Is that so hard for people to do?

I can't see the point of concert performance of opera, either, and I rarely listen to opera on records. The music usually doesn't "work" without the visual element.

Rather than imagine what's going on in the film, why not watch the film? The Casablanca music made no sense without the action, nor did Laura. The Ben-Hur music never made sense even in the film - Respighi without the good taste. (Hint to Stanley Stewart: that last remark is intended to be ironic).

[Nick Armstrong]

"... even the boys in the orchestra laughed when we were recording it."

Can that be so? For Stanley Stewart's "humourlessness antenna" is quivering... (#26)

[gradus]

Stanley, how lucky to have downloaded the tv broadcast, I heard the radio broadcast but forgot the TV repeat until the last item plus that fabulous encore by Waxman. I do hope the concert appears somewhere in down loadable format. Laura and the Waxman pieces - such inspiration, such playing!!

[Nick Armstrong]

Stanley, how lucky to have downloaded the tv broadcast... I do hope the concert appears somewhere in down loadable format.

Will this not do? http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...wood_Rhapsody/

[gradus]

Thank you for your help, yes it will, I had looked for but couldn't find the iplayer recording.

[Stanley Stewart]

Glad to know that you've got there, gradus. If you have problems, do let me know! I've twinned the John Wilson Prom with the exhilarating Ravel Prom from hard disk/DVD as an antidote to the seasonal affective disorder which lies ahead.

[Nick Armstrong]

Thank you for your help, yes it will, I had looked for but couldn't find the iplayer recording.

Hope you enjoyed it, gradus!

[secondfiddle]

I very much enjoyed the TV broadcast of this Prom, especially the Waxman pieces and the Scott Bradley. Contrary to those who think the music is worthless without the images (or perhaps even with them) I was interested to listen to the music in its own right - which it is rarely possible to do when watching a film - and the ingenuity behind some of the compositions stood out in this way. For instance, the restless 'car journey' music in Herrmann's Psycho score was worth hearing on its own without the images. And the subtelty of Scott Bradley's scoring for animation stood out. It shouldn't be forgotten that he was classically trained and an admirer of Schoenberg, even using 12-tone music in some of his animation music, remarking "I hope Dr Schoenberg will forgive me for using his system to produce funny music, but even the boys in the orchestra laughed when we were recording it."

The orchestra played with enormous panache and exhilaration, as well as great versatility. It was a Prom that imo completely deserved to be on TV.

Couldn't agree more. One of the main reasons of having film music in the concert hall is that the music might not be otherwise heard if the film is not on release. This, of course, held more for the pre-video/DVD days, but even today in the film suite you often hear more of the music and even sections that were cut or quietened to allow for dialogue. Occasions like this Prom allow you to assess the music more fully than when watching the film. It does in many cases help enormously to have seen the film because the music is so evocative and recalls the emotions aroused during the film's showing. But some scores stand up well on their own in the concert hall. It was really good to hear the Scott Bradley music - to see the amount of fun in its writing and scoring (whether that makes it funny is another matter) - and as regards the whole concert it was good to see how much the members of the orchestra seemed to be enjoying the occasion. The Ride of the Cossacks was a terrific encore.

[BBMmk2]

Indeed, the encore was a very good choice! :)

[Nick Armstrong]

I very much enjoyed the TV broadcast of this Prom, especially the Waxman pieces and the Scott Bradley. Contrary to those who think the music is worthless without the images (or perhaps even with them) I was interested to listen to the music in its own right - which it is rarely possible to do when watching a film - and the ingenuity behind some of the compositions stood out in this way. For instance, the restless 'car journey' music in Herrmann's Psycho score was worth hearing on its own without the images.

The orchestra played with enormous panache and exhilaration, as well as great versatility. It was a Prom that imo completely deserved to be on TV.

I'm catching up from time to time with my recording of this broadcast and loving most of it. (As so often, I could do without any of the singers ).

I agree about the Hermann 'car journey' music, brilliant. I would select the Korngold 'Robin Hood' music and the Moross 'Big Country' number as other stand-alone standouts - some goose-bump moments. And I loved the little vignette when Wilson mimed a 'Corrr!!' and grinned at a particularly dazzling trumpet high note in the Moross

Yes stunning playing. I confess the ability to listen in 15 minute chunks (as opposed to two whole hours of it) is adding to my enjoyment, I think.

[marvin]

I have grown in to this Prom having recorded BBC 4's output. There were parts that I fast forwarded through though although may go back and listen/watch again. Unlike someone here, I loved the two singers and the eleven songs they sung although the woman sounded a bit nasally at times but whether that was because she was trying to (badly) mimic Doris Day, I don't know. I will certainly go back and listen again to the Korngold music although I don't want to remember its association with Robin Hood.
Ben Hur - yuk and T&J quite amusing. The orchestrations and playing throughout were exemplary, however. Good for John Wilson, who dressing as he does reminds me of Victor Silvester or Henry Hall. A little less starch would be apporpriate here, I think.

[aeolium]

(As so often, I could do without any of the singers )

Agreed. I thought e.g. Herrmann's Salammbo's Aria was pointlessly conventional here (whatever it's appropriateness in the film) compared with much of his other music. I'd much rather have had a purely orchestral selection.

[PhilipT]

Agreed. I thought e.g. Herrmann's Salammbo's Aria was pointlessly conventional here (whatever it's appropriateness in the film) compared with much of his other music. I'd much rather have had a purely orchestral selection.

Oh, no! I thought the soloist's frock was one of the high points of the concert, right up there with 'Big Country' ...

[Lordgeous]

And what about her final top D? A high point for me!