Prom 75: Last Night of the Proms – 8.09.18

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  • Lordgeous
    Full Member
    • Dec 2012
    • 837

    Jerusalem of course, though I have a soft spot for all of Elgar's Pomp & Circumstaces too. The LN one is surely a glorious tune too, words notwithstanding. (In reply to earlier comment)

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    • Eine Alpensinfonie
      Host
      • Nov 2010
      • 20576

      Originally posted by Lordgeous View Post
      Jerusalem of course, though I have a soft spot for all of Elgar's Pomp & Circumstaces too. The LN one is surely a glorious tune too, words notwithstanding. (In reply to earlier comment)
      Of course, the words were added later. The jingoistic ones added to the stand-alone song are more controversial than those used in the Coronation Ode, the latter not using the phrase: "Wider still, and wider".

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      • Prommer
        Full Member
        • Dec 2010
        • 1275

        I'll try again: to what can we attribute the improvement in the mass singing this year? Could it be the (otherwise rather annoying) conductor screens, so that all could follow Sir Andrew? Or are there any other factors?

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        • Pabmusic
          Full Member
          • May 2011
          • 5537

          Originally posted by Eine Alpensinfonie View Post
          Of course, the words were added later. The jingoistic ones added to the stand-alone song are more controversial than those used in the Coronation Ode, the latter not using the phrase: "Wider still, and wider".
          The first performances of P & C 1 (Birkenhead and the Proms - with 3 encores) were without words. Then A. C. Benson wrote words for the Coronation Ode, which doesn't have the jingoistic stuff. But he also supplied words for the solo song that was published at the same time, and which also has one of Elgar's more dreadful tunes for the 'verse'. Jaeger told Elgar not to set words to the tune because it wasn't suitable for vocal treatment.

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          • Lordgeous
            Full Member
            • Dec 2012
            • 837

            Originally posted by Pabmusic View Post
            The first performances of P & C 1 (Birkenhead and the Proms - with 3 encores) were without words. Then A. C. Benson wrote words for the Coronation Ode, which doesn't have the jingoistic stuff. But he also supplied words for the solo song that was published at the same time, and which also has one of Elgar's more dreadful tunes for the 'verse'. Jaeger told Elgar not to set words to the tune because it wasn't suitable for vocal treatment.
            Were words ever added to the marvellous (and similar) melody in P & C No. 5?

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            • Pabmusic
              Full Member
              • May 2011
              • 5537

              Originally posted by Lordgeous View Post
              Were words ever added to the marvellous (and similar) melody in P & C No. 5?
              Not that I'm aware, but A. P. Herbert wrote words for No. 4 in WW2. ("All men must be free..."?)

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              • PhilipT
                Full Member
                • May 2011
                • 423

                This was one of the best Last Nights I've been to, and I've been to all bar one since 1992. It was good to have Sir Andrew back, even if it turns out to be his last time. Jess Gillam must have had the evening of her life, and quite right too. The extra opportunity for communal singing helped no end, and I hope that the planners of future Last Nights will bear that in mind. I really feel for the RAH stewards, who worked really hard - there were some tricky problems to deal with, especially at the front of the Arena, 'cello side - and didn't even get their traditional party afterwards, because of the changeover for the heavy metal gig on Sunday. None of you lot saw that, but I did.
                Last edited by ferneyhoughgeliebte; 12-09-18, 20:01.

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                • hmvman
                  Full Member
                  • Mar 2007
                  • 1147

                  Finally managed to catch up with this a few days ago before it disappeared off the iPlayer. A really enjoyable Last Night and, as others have said, a vintage end to a vintage season.

                  One thing intrigued me: I noticed that Sir Andrew religiously turned to his score for the closing bars of P&C No.1, having conducted the audience, both the first time and in the reprise of "Land of Hope and Glory". He must've conducted this work hundreds of times so did he really need to consult his score to conduct the last few bars? Is his memory that bad? Perhaps the professional musicians here can explain this.

                  Here's hoping next year's season is as good as this year's has been.

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                  • LMcD
                    Full Member
                    • Sep 2017
                    • 8764

                    For what one might call an 'impressionistic' view of the Last Night (from 2015, I think, with Marin Alsop in charge), you might be interested a 22-minute item which I found on youtube. I posted the link, but when I checked I got the 'Video Unavailable' message, but if you google 'Last Night Of The Proms YouTube' it should be the 6th item listed.

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                    • hmvman
                      Full Member
                      • Mar 2007
                      • 1147

                      Thanks, LMcD, I found the video. It didn't appear under a 'Last Night of the Proms' search but it was the first item when I added '2015' to the search.

                      Yes, Interesting to see one person's impression of the event although I wasn't sure why he felt the need to overdub the sound with professional recordings; maybe his video sound wasn't good. Reading the comments below the video is best avoided....

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