Prom 1: 15.07.16 - First Night of the Proms

[Barbirollians]

Wonderful performance of the Elgar 'cello concerto from Sol Gabetta. Absolutely first rate. (Does anyone remember a pallid reading from Guy Johnston a few years ago at a first night?)

No I do remember a very dreary deliberately unemotional Paul Watkin first night performance of the Elgar - is that the one you mean ?

[MrGongGong]

I never used to stand when the national anthem was played at the Free Trade Hall. Not sure how many of your essential attributes I have, or had.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I never used to stand when the national anthem was played at the Free Trade Hall. Not sure how many of your essential attributes I have, or had.

I believe that there is not a God, nor should there be a monarch, so I don't stand for the National Anthem. On this occasion, however, something far more important than jingoism was being commemorated, so I would have stood - for wotsit's sake; I'd've even saluted if called upon to do so.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

No I do remember a very dreary deliberately unemotional Paul Watkin first night performance of the Elgar - is that the one you mean ?

That was the one I thought of when reading pasty's post - from 2007. (Guy Johnson's performance opened the Season in 2001.)

[Stunsworth]

I believe that there is not a God, nor should there be a monarch, so I don't stand for the National Anthem. On this occasion, however, something far more important than jingoism was being commemorated, so I would have stood - for wotsit's sake; I'd've even saluted if called upon to do so.

If I'd have been in the RAH I'd have stood without a moment's hesitation. It was about solidarity not jingoism.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I never used to stand when the national anthem was played at the Free Trade Hall. Not sure how many of your essential attributes I have, or had.

I did. When Barbirolli conducted it (orchestra standing too) it was so stunning, you simply had to stand up. Furthermore, Sir John conducted facing the audience, so any dissenters would have been given his acid stare. I did have a friend who refused to stand, but he only showed his petulance once.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

If I'd have been in the RAH I'd have stood without a moment's hesitation. It was about solidarity not jingoism.

[edashtav]

The 7pm K.O.caught me out and I missed what a R.3 flyer informed me was Tchaikovsky's "ravishing" Romeo and Juliet. I was glad not to have missed Sol Gabetta's stunning Proms debut in the Elgar. Virtuosity made the servant of musicality. There was so much that was refreshing and which sounded revelatory and convincing. She and Sakari caught the unstable, mercurial spirit that underpins Elgar's masterpiece. Wonderful playing, too, from the BBC SO. The Vasks. Is a trivial piece but after the depths plumbed in the Elgar it came as a neat contrast and allowed Sol to demonstrate that she can let her hair down.

Onwards, or maybe backwards, to the banal Prokofiev cantata "Alexander Nevsky" crass Soviet Realism relieved only by the magnificent "Field of the Dead" movement for the contralto soloist. Oramo, soloist choruses and orchestra did everything that they could: great rhythmic control, refulgent colours, no punches pulled and climaxes that the Beeb's publicists will record as "ravishing" . The concert was short measure but I'm not grumbling as I was so pleased to get to the end of this mongrel epic.

[Stunsworth]

Rather good 5.1 surround sound for those with the equipment. iPlayer alas is restricted to stereo in my experience.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I did. When Barbirolli conducted it (orchestra standing too) it was so stunning, you simply had to stand up. Furthermore, Sir John conducted facing the audience, so any dissenters would have been given his acid stare. I did have a friend who refused to stand, but he only showed his petulance once.

And no one would dream of suggesting that Hallé audiences were "like sheep" those days.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Re the TV broadcast, why is KD telling us the following?

The audience is still applauding;
The conductor his returning to the platform;
The soloist was magnificent.



Aaaaaaaaargh!





Such a good concert, but we don't need a wittering presenter to tell us what we can already see and hear.

[bluestateprommer]

Very well played Alexander Nevsky in the 2nd half, with all parties on cracking form (Borodina, Oramo, the BBC SO, Symphony Chorus, & National Chorus of Wales). Maybe not quite as rock'-em / sock'-em / razzle-dazzle as Belshazzar's Feast at last year's First Night, but very satisfying on its own terms. It seemed a slightly odd moment of musical entrance when Borodina first sang, but then she took over completely, and fittingly as a native Russian singer. Solid start to this Proms season.

(PS: On the radio presentation, while Petroc and CBH can be a bit much, in the grand scheme of things, they're fundamentally decent people, and I wouldn't direct any ill feelings at them. There are much more important things to get angry about. I save my anger for the appalling Republican US president/vice-president ticket.)

[johnn10]

The reason she stuck to those points was probably due to the fact that there was nothing else on the autocue.

Re the TV broadcast, why is KD telling us the following?

The audience is still applauding;
The conductor his returning to the platform;
The soloist was magnificent.



Aaaaaaaaargh!





Such a good concert, but we don't need a wittering presenter to tell us what we can already see and hear.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The reason she stuck to those points was probably due to the fact that there was nothing else on the autocue.

Why does she need to say anything?

[EdgeleyRob]

Very well played Alexander Nevsky in the 2nd half, with all parties on cracking form (Borodina, Oramo, the BBC SO, Symphony Chorus, & National Chorus of Wales). Maybe not quite as rock'-em / sock'-em / razzle-dazzle as Belshazzar's Feast at last year's First Night, but very satisfying on its own terms. It seemed a slightly odd moment of musical entrance when Borodina first sang, but then she took over completely, and fittingly as a native Russian singer. Solid start to this Proms season.

(PS: On the radio presentation, while Petroc and CBH can be a bit much, in the grand scheme of things, they're fundamentally decent people, and I wouldn't direct any ill feelings at them. There are much more important things to get angry about. I save my anger for the appalling Republican US president/vice-president ticket.)

You're right of course,but the radio and tv presentation is unbearable.
TBF they are probably just doing as they're told.
The concert itself was superb.