Prom 46: Benjamin Grosvenor & National Youth Jazz Orchestra 16.08.18

[underthecountertenor]

Very good to hear and watch. He just gets on with the job at hand. With no flamboyant behaviour!

Exactly what he did last night, to brilliant effect.

[VodkaDilc]

I just hope that the excessive amplification in the hall was not apparent on the radio. I read about this problem in a review of West Side Story. Do the engineers who work on the sound which is presented in the hall have cloth ears? The Bernstein came off worst: every movement was presented at a permanent fff and the sound was really ugly. I really felt sorry for the players. I was sitting directly facing the stage, so the huge speakers were booming straight at me; perhaps it sounded better elsewhere in the hall.

Benjamin Grosvenor made the best of it though and the Gershwin was the most successful performance on the programme.

Sorry to be negative - but it's not directed at the players.

[underthecountertenor]

I just hope that the excessive amplification in the hall was not apparent on the radio. I read about this problem in a review of West Side Story. Do the engineers who work on the sound which is presented in the hall have cloth ears? The Bernstein came off worst: every movement was presented at a permanent fff and the sound was really ugly. I really felt sorry for the players. I was sitting directly facing the stage, so the huge speakers were booming straight at me; perhaps it sounded better elsewhere in the hall.

Benjamin Grosvenor made the best of it though and the Gershwin was the most successful performance on the programme.

Sorry to be negative - but it's not directed at the players.

I was towards the back of the arena. It felt pretty relentless in the Bernstein even there, so I can only sympathise.

[Old Grumpy]

Sounded OK to me on the radio...

... well at least as far as I got - halfway through the Bernstein, when sleep took over

OG

[Serial_Apologist]

There was amplification?? Whatever for??? I'm glad I decided not to go...

[VodkaDilc]

There was amplification?? Whatever for??? I'm glad I decided not to go...

As I wrote in my previous comment, the amplification was excessive. I recalled the review of West Side Story I read a few days ago:

But oh the ghastly amplification, generating a level of futile din that completely obscured the intricate counterpoint of the “Tonight” ensemble and left me wishing I had brought some ear plugs. Why, oh why, did Wilson not insist that Bernstein be shown more respect and instruct the wonks to turn the dials down a couple of notches?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/concerts/bbc-proms-2018-west-side-story-review-universally-familiar/

I think the same wonks were invited back last night. The encore of St Louis Blues was announced as I was leaving, but I could not bring myself to stay for another aural onslaught.

[Serial_Apologist]

As I wrote in my previous comment, the amplification was excessive. I recalled the review of West Side Story I read a few days ago:

But oh the ghastly amplification, generating a level of futile din that completely obscured the intricate counterpoint of the “Tonight” ensemble and left me wishing I had brought some ear plugs. Why, oh why, did Wilson not insist that Bernstein be shown more respect and instruct the wonks to turn the dials down a couple of notches?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/concerts/bbc-proms-2018-west-side-story-review-universally-familiar/

I think the same wonks were invited back last night. The encore of St Louis Blues was announced as I was leaving, but I could not bring myself to stay for another aural onslaught.

I know you wrote that. But why any amplification at all, is what I was asking?

[VodkaDilc]

I know you wrote that. But why any amplification at all, is what I was asking?

I'm sure we would all like to know the answer. I will certainly not go to any more Proms where amplification might be a risk.