Prom 12: National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain - 27.07.19

[pastoralguy]

Sweeping statement that’s not true. My pupil was a principal of her section last year and she went to a bog standard comp, as your are so obviously proud to call it; and she wasn’t the only one.

Well, maybe things have changed but I'm talking about 40 years ago...

[cloughie]

I don't usually listen to the NYO concerts since I was constantly turned down by the audition committee in favour of friends who I knew weren't as accomplished as I was. However, they did go to fee paying schools whereas I went to bog roll comp...

At that age I guess it is hard to take, when you are aching to show your skills!

[pastoralguy]

Sweeping statement that’s not true. My pupil was a principal of her section last year and she went to a bog standard comp, as your are so obviously proud to call it; and she wasn’t the only one.

Anyway, by the time I got to 18 I was playing in REAL orchestras...

[makropulos]

Aside from agreeing with some of the very fair points made about the demographic of the NYOGB, I've got to say that I loved pretty much every minute of what I heard tonight. I missed the new piece but the Tchaik and Prokofiev had so many of the best features of the NYO –tremendous verve and enthusiasm, absolute commitment and some really vibrant playing. I can't wait to hear it all again on the telly tomorrow night. Benedetti at her high-risk best, and I thought Wigglesworth (of whom I am by no means a constant fan) did a phenomenal job bringing the best out of his young players. It's always inspiring to hear this orchestra when they're on top form.

[Darkbloom]

Sweeping statement that’s not true. My pupil was a principal of her section last year and she went to a bog standard comp, as your are so obviously proud to call it; and she wasn’t the only one.

It didn't sound like a sweeping statement, just someone's experience. And saying that 'she wasn't the only one' does rather imply that she may have been in a small minority, doesn't it?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It didn't sound like a sweeping statement, just someone's experience. And saying that 'she wasn't the only one' does rather imply that she may have been in a small minority, doesn't it?

"A small minority" of 51% in 2017?

[pastoralguy]

Although it was a long time ago, I can remember feeling very disheartened by the whole experience. Of course, this was a time when the application form would ask about your father's employment status! There did seem to be a bias in terms of who your teacher was and that was commented at in one of my auditions. ('Who did you say you teacher was? I've never heard of this person'). My cheap fiddle was commented on as well!

Anyway, what it DID do was to give me the determination to practice 5 hours a day EVERY day until I started to get dep. work with various professional organisations in Scotland where no one cared what your background was. The important thing was could you play the right notes in the right order in the correct place. (And keep your mouth SHUT!)

[alywin]

Well, from up in the gallery I thought the R&J was distinctly mixed: it sounded quite muddy in parts, plus at times the orchestra didn't seem entirely in unison. I'll be interested to see how the recording comes out. It seemed to settle down about halfway through the balcony scene, to my mind. Also, I thought the programming was all over the place: I kept wondering what the logic was in switching from B to Q to F, say, because I couldn't see that there was any. It was quite dizzy-making leaping from one act to another and back again!

[LMcD]

I take your point, bsp, about the unwieldy number of movements... but they would have kept Katie Derham "on message".

High ambition indeed! Let us not forget that she was a 'Strictly' finalist and is therefore officially above all and any criticism.

[antongould]

High ambition indeed! Let us not forget that she was a 'Strictly' finalist and is therefore officially above all and any criticism.

But we can still criticise Ann Widdecombe can’t we ...... ?????

[Ein Heldenleben]

I would be interested to know what violinists from either “ bog standard comp “ or indeed Eton made of NB ‘s intonation in the first movt of the Tchaikovsky and ( begging the question) whether the heat played a part in it ?

[cloughie]

I take your point, bsp, about the unwieldy number of movements... but they would have kept Katie Derham "on message".

Nah, she would have just gabbled through them unintelligibly and we’d have been none the wiser.

[BBMmk2]

I was at the prep school at the same time as Mark Wigglesworth. A little both with wavy hair and freckles! I’m so glad seeing his progress.

[LMcD]

But we can still criticise Ann Widdecombe can’t we ...... ?????

(LMcD makes the sign of the cross ….)
AW's greatest admirer appears to have been Victoria Wood, to judge by the latter's truly heart-warming Christmas TV tribute.

[cloughie]

High ambition indeed! Let us not forget that she was a 'Strictly' finalist and is therefore officially above all and any criticism.

Perhaps her dancing is better than her presenting!