Prom 1: 15.07.16 - First Night of the Proms

[edashtav]

[QUOTE=EnemyoftheStoat;571363

(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.[/QUOTE]

Here, ... hear!

[Sydney Grew]

Allegro giusto

There was for me a further problem with the performance of the Romeo and Juliet fantasy overture, in relation to the tempo. The beautiful melody - shall we call it the second subject - is taken far too slowly. After the introduction, the main part of the work is marked "Allegro Giusto", and no further change is indicated until the sad march on the final two pages, just an occasional "espressivo" and "dolce". Now perhaps it could be argued that this "Allegro Giusto", meaning "speedy but in an appropriate manner" does give the conductor permission to play the second subject more slowly than the first, but the word "Allegro" must still mean "speedy" and does not signal that the conductor may slow down to half the first speed and wallow lugubriously. He is a Finn by the way. So this performance sounds more like the work of amateurs than of a group of sharp professional performers. Indeed in the video some of the players - woodwind for example - are clearly seen attempting with an air of astonishment to follow the conductor's erratic and unpredictable "Allegro".

[richardfinegold]

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

Over the past few years I've developed a back problem and sitting in a seat without moving starts to hurt after 30 minutes or so. I used to be picky about standing for ovations, Political Moments, etc but now I use every excuse imaginable
I am listening to the concert now thru the iPad speakers. Sounds like a great way to start your season there

[richardfinegold]

Why does she need to say anything?

She gets paid by the syllable?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

She gets paid by the syllable?

[richardfinegold]

I love Nevsky. It is Prokofiev at his extroverted best, bold, brash cinematic, with some great music.
I use the opening chords of 'Russia under The Mongol Yoke" as a test piece for auditioning audio equipment

[Anastasius]

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'm not so sure, TBH, having covered quite a few TV OB's from the Proms. It really is up to the presenter as to when they stop/start and unfortunately KD has no idea as to the right moment.

[Anastasius]

She gets paid by the syllable?

She gets paid even more by carefully, painstakingly and removing all subtlety therein, when pronouncing foreign names. At least she has now removed the very slight pause she would insert before tripping off a foreign name. Please don't get me wrong...it is good to try and pronounce someones name properly but it seems to me that KD takes it to the extreme and removes any sense of naturalness in her presentation.

Notwithstanding I thought the Elgar superb as was the encore. I enjoyed the R&J romping along as I prepared supper. Not listened to the Cantata yet. And delighted at the show of solidarity at the start.

[Serial_Apologist]

I had to look up rodomontade! What a great word!

While I agree, it isn't a word I'd use for boastful expression in a music or arts review - it sounds too much like something exotic one would add to a salad!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It really is up to the presenter as to when they stop/start. . .

Perhaps Thumper's mother would be able to offer good advice. She might say: "If you can't think of anything worth saying, don't say nuffin' at all".

[alycidon]

I think that I must be getting old and harking back to the proms in another age, but I found the whole concert dull and uninteresting. I am usually a fan of the Elgar, but it didn't seem to come off as a first night thing, while I felt that the Tchaikowsky and Prokofiev were both very pedestrian.

Perhaps the exceedingly dull weather we are having in the north of Scotland is colouring my judgment?

[Rcartes]

I think that I must be getting old and harking back to the proms in another age, but I found the whole concert dull and uninteresting. I am usually a fan of the Elgar, but it didn't seem to come off as a first night thing, while I felt that the Tchaikowsky and Prokofiev were both very pedestrian.

Perhaps the exceedingly dull weather we are having in the north of Scotland is colouring my judgment?

Can't agree with you about the Prokofiev, it had me up and dancing around the room.

But one thing the broadcast really did bring home, which is how badly served for classical music is television on BBC: in normal (non-Prom) times, all we get on BBC4 on a Friday night is maybe half an hour of someone presenting a programme about music rather than the music itself; otherwise it's wall-to-wall pop junk. Yuk! And as for teh rest of BBC TV, there's sod all.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Make the most of the Proms then Rcartes. It'll be reformed /recycled footage at best until they throw us something at Christmas. As they can't show any Saville, they might even be running short of Top of the Pops. If they can't resource BBC4, they should ditch it and use the money towards returning some semblance of quality to BBC2.

[Lordgeous]

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

Used to but annoying that DAB has a pronounced delay. I know, I could use FM!

[ARBurton]

Can't agree with you about the Prokofiev, it had me up and dancing around the room.

But one thing the broadcast really did bring home, which is how badly served for classical music is television on BBC: in normal (non-Prom) times, all we get on BBC4 on a Friday night is maybe half an hour of someone presenting a programme about music rather than the music itself; otherwise it's wall-to-wall pop junk. Yuk! And as for teh rest of BBC TV, there's sod all.

Well, we have had a couple of things on BBC4 - you know, an hour-long programme of clips from the archives (snippets of short piano pieces, etc) which merely serves to show that the BBC are aware that they have archives and aren`t above flaunting it in a manner calculated to be annoying. And a series of concerto programmes numbering perhaps 3 or 4 only......so they are trying....very trying....