Prom 1: 15.07.16 - First Night of the Proms

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Pity a lot of the audience were so slow to stand for it. It looked in some cases that they were only standing because those near them were doing so. Also difficult to see why the Chorus did not sing -otherwise what was the point of them being in place at the start of the concert when they were not due to sing until after the interval?

Possibly because they weren't expecting it? There was no announcement that the anthem would be played and - checking the BBC2 broadcast this morning - even Katie Derham seemed to be caught out, announcing the Tchaikovsky. I agree that it was a pity the two BBC choruses weren't called upon to sing La Marseillaise though...

[Vile Consort]

An older friend of mine (now deceased) pointedly refused to stand for God Save the Queen at concerts. However, on a visit to rural Ireland it was noted that he had no hesitation in standing for the Irish national anthem (in a pub where a collection had been taken for "our boys")

[Bryn]

O.k., so can anyone here give a definitive answer to the question "When did they stop playing the National Anthem at the end of the evening at cinemas?"

The mass run for the exit was good excercise.

[Alison]

I rather liked the lack of preamble and fuss before the concert and found the anthem the more moving as a result.

Above average R&J, superlative Elgar. I like the big blockbuster element of a First Night, sometimes absent in recent years, and Nevsky worked well IMHO.

Going back to Guy Johnston, that was surely a case of pushing a very young artist too hard too soon and I am sure his career has suffered.

[Stanley Stewart]

Possibly because they weren't expecting it? There was no announcement that the anthem would be played and - checking the BBC2 broadcast this morning - even Katie Derham seemed to be caught out, announcing the Tchaikovsky. I agree that it was a pity the two BBC choruses weren't called upon to sing La Marseillaise though...

Indeed, IGI, it was clear there was a degree of confusion in the audience and, having viewed my recording this afternoon, there was a pull-back shot from the platform to the back of the Hall which made me wonder what the fuss was all about, far less the smug postings from those who prefer not to stand for the National Anthem - well, bully for them! Perhaps a last minute decision to play La Marseillaise but a touching gesture of solidarity.

[Stanfordian]

An older friend of mine (now deceased) pointedly refused to stand for God Save the Queen at concerts. However, on a visit to rural Ireland it was noted that he had no hesitation in standing for the Irish national anthem (in a pub where a collection had been taken for "our boys")

That's what I would call good sense in the circumstances!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

O.k., so can anyone here give a definitive answer to the question "When did they stop playing the National Anthem at the end of the evening at cinemas?"

The mass run for the exit was good excercise.

- in North-East Lancashire, it was around the mid-late '60s. Perhaps coinciding with the change from Picture House (one film a week, with an upstairs and a downstairs - make sure you don't sit in the bit of the downstairs immediately below the Balcony with its - ahem - "projectile" dropping clientele) to multi-screen theatres?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

That's what I would call good sense in the circumstances!

[Sydney Grew]

. . . but KD!!! I don't know why there's something so annoying about her manner but she could at least wait a few seconds at the end of a piece before leaping in immediately over the applause, which to me is all part of the atmosphere and enjoyment of a live concert. . . .

Quite. She comes close to spoiling the whole occasion.

[bluestateprommer]

Maybe last night speeches are not quite so memorable nowadays but it was a pleasure (and rather moving) to hear on Radio 3 this morning Sir Henry Wood's very last speech in 1944 sadly foreshadowing Sir Malcolm Sargent's in 1967 - both conductors looked forward to conducting in the following season but neither lived to do so. Was it my ears or did I hear Sir Henry Wood thanking Sir Adrian Boult and Sir Basil Cameron. I know nothing about Basil Cameron being a Knight.

The part with Sir Henry's speech starts at about 1:40:02 into the Breakfast episode in question:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07jxnyc

BTW, for pursuivant, Sir Henry says "Mr. Basil Cameron", but he says "Mr." very quickly, the sonic equivalent of a blur. The Breakfast episode then goes directly into the first movement of Beethoven 5, with Sir Henry conducting at The Proms.

PS: Other Last Night speeches culled from a certain website:

(a) 1958
(b) 1962

[Mary Chambers]

Quite. She comes close to spoiling the whole occasion.

She did seem intrusive, but I doubt if Katie Derham decides for herself when to speak. That would be the producer's decision, wouldn't it? I don't think we should blame presenters for, essentially, just doing as they're told.

[antongould]

She did seem intrusive, but I doubt if Katie Derham decides for herself when to speak. That would be the producer's decision, wouldn't it? I don't think we should blame presenters for, essentially, just doing as they're told.

I wax and wane on this, but I currently feel The Squire has a big say in his Breakfast and as mercs observes Ms Alker seems to have a sizeable input when replacing Martin H who has to have his Dvorak ......,

[mercia]

the TV-watchers should have listened to the radio broadcast instead - where we were treated to some extremely informative conversations with members of the audience and chorus

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Possibly because they weren't expecting it? There was no announcement that the anthem would be played and - checking the BBC2 broadcast this morning - even Katie Derham seemed to be caught out, announcing the Tchaikovsky. I agree that it was a pity the two BBC choruses weren't called upon to sing La Marseillaise though...

A note from the performer's side of the fence; while a fair number of the chorus members (this one included) might well have had La Marseillaise in their "back pocket", the majority likely do not, and working up an acceptable performance of any foreign text is not the work of one afternoon rehearsal on the day, even one that could be dedicated to it. Furthermore, it arguably would have had to be memorised, so the orchestra-only version was the right choice here.

(I'm tempted to comment on the "Unsung Heroes" thread elsewhere about the amount of rehearsal that goes into choral performances in general. These performers give up serious amounts of time, often to the detriment of family and social life as well as time off from the day job, and without them you'd have many fewer Mahler 2 & 8s, Sea Symphonies, Gerontius/Apostles/Kingdoms, Nevskys, Glagolitic Masses etc etc etc.)

As for "why were there choirs on stage for part one if they weren't singing?", it is always so at FNOP, not least to avoid swathes of empty seats behind the band (not necessarily obvious on TV but very much so in the hall), but also I'd ask why the choirs shouldn't be present at the whole concert.

[BBMmk2]

I was quite moved by henry Wood's speech. And as pursuivant, said overshadows Sir Malcom's, in a way I never thought before.