Prom 38: 13.08.16 - The John Wilson Orchestra performs Gershwin

[Bryn]

Negative comments re. the arrangements might be lent a modicum of credence were such arrangement actually to have been by the person cited by Mr Hornblower. However, as was made clear in the on screen credits, they were not. Even that credited to Andre Previn seemed to me to have all the right notes, and in the right order too. Could it be that the Mr Hornblower has some other axe to grind re. young Mr. Wilson.

[french frank]

The American In Paris section was absolutely brilliant

I love Gershwin, but I always find these Wilson Proms too much for me … Many people enjoy them though. I can't expect to appreciate every Prom.

I think this about sums it up. Perhaps a bit disappointing that the music, arrangements and performance always seem to have to come with a bit of the popular paraphernalia and razzmatazz - maybe? Is that part of the essence which partly explains why some people feel the concerts seem out of place and harder to enjoy? A bit like modern choirs with their choreography?

I speculate, merely, as one knowing little whereof I speak …

[DracoM]

When choirs choreograph, I always suspect the decision to go down that route reveals a lurking fear in the performers that neither the music nor their skill in performance of it can be enough justification for being there. Pity. Demeans the music and its performers IMO.

[Stanfordian]

BTW The lady who seems more intent on appearing in shot than attending to playing her fiddle was at it again.

Maybe the woman violinist is more suited to André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra.

[marvin]

Maybe the woman violinist is more suited to André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra.

Is that the same lady prominent in Pekka Kuusisto's Tchaikovsky Violin concerto?

[Stanfordian]

Is that the same lady prominent in Pekka Kuusisto's Tchaikovsky Violin concerto?

'Non capisco'?

[Dave2002]

Negative comments re. the arrangements might be lent a modicum of credence were such arrangement actually to have been by the person cited by Mr Hornblower. However, as was made clear in the on screen credits, they were not. Even that credited to Andre Previn seemed to me to have all the right notes, and in the right order too. Could it be that the Mr Hornblower has some other axe to grind re. young Mr. Wilson.

It wasn't absolutely obvious to me what the concert was going to include, and I was slightly startled at the start of the event, but the programme notes at the RAH made things a lot clearer. For example, I had thought we were going to hear a performance of Rhapsody in Blue, but what we actually had, so I believe, was music from a film of the same name. The music for that was arranged by Ray Heindorf. Most of the music was based on music from films - based on music by Gershwin. It seems that in some cases the scores of the film backings were lost, but John Wilson managed to reconstruct most of them - and the attributions in the concert programme were to the original arrangers for each of the films.

Whether the American in Paris was exactly the same as the "jazz influenced symphonic poem" of 1928, or a slightly modified version based on a film or ballet I can't be sure, but it sounded pretty much as I remember it, and as I've aleady mentioned this was the runaway best item of the evening. Many of the films were made after Gershwin's death in 1937. The Gene Kelly/Leslie Caron film American in Paris directed by Vincente Minnelli dates from 1951.

The arrangement by André Previn was from a 1953 film "Give a Girl a Break".

[Ravensbourne]

Whether the American in Paris was exactly the same as the "jazz influenced symphonic poem" of 1928, or a slightly modified version based on a film or ballet I can't be sure, but it sounded pretty much as I remember it, and as I've aleady mentioned this was the runaway best item of the evening.

It sounded very different to me. I assume its inclusion was to show that Gershwin knew best.

[Ravensbourne]

I do appreciate it when programmers let you know what's going to be played, rather than this rather vague compilation from various sources I've attempted to put together.

In that case, I guess you did not appreciate the way the list advertised in advance of what was going to be played did not match what was actually played! I wonder how this happened.

[Ravensbourne]

George and Ira Gershwin Rediscovered

GEORGE AND IRA GERSHWIN REDISCOVERED

Gershwin
Rhapsody in Blue – Overture
Girl Crazy – Treat Me Rough

Warren The Barkleys of Broadway – You'd Be Hard to Replace

Gershwin
An American in Paris – I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise
Girl Crazy – Fascinating Rhythm; But Not for Me
Ziegfeld Follies – The Babbitt and the Bromide
Shall We Dance – final ballet

INTERVAL

Gershwin
Strike Up the Band – Strike Up the Band
Funny Face – Funny Face
The Goldwyn Follies – Love Walked In
Funny Face – Let's Kiss and Make Up

Lane Give a Girl a Break – In Our United State

Warren The Barkleys of Broadway – The Swing-Trot

Kern Cover Girl – Long Ago and Far Away

Gershwin An American in Paris – 'S Wonderful

Arlen A Star Is Born – The Man That Got Away

Gershwin An American in Paris – ballet

Louise Dearman singer
Matthew Ford singer
Julian Ovenden singer
Maida Vale Singers Christopher Dee chorus-master

John Wilson Orchestra John Mills leader
John Wilson conductor

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

[Ravensbourne]

Ira Gershwin encores

The above is from the printed programme. Also performed were:

Arlen A Star Is Born – It's a New World
Lane Give a Girl a Break – Applause, Applause

[Alison]

Have to say I've heard of numerous non musical friends who watched this.

[Dave2002]

Was there a year when the printed programmes were available as downloads? I have a slight recollection that things were moving that way, but no sign of anything to download this year.

[Bryn]

Was there a year when the printed programmes were available as downloads? I have a slight recollection that things were moving that way, but no sign of anything to download this year.

Yes, just the one year IIRC. I guess it hit printed programme sales, and thereby advertising revenue, too hard.