Prom 11: 1969: The Sound of a Summer - 26.07.19

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:30 Friday 26 July 2019
Royal Albert Hall

Joni Mitchell: Woodstock
Walton: Battle of Britain Suite
Bacharach/David: Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
Fred Neil: Everybody’s Talkin’ At Me
John Barry: Midnight Cowboy
John Barry: Ski Chase from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Lennon/McCartney: Get Back
George Harrison: Something
George Harrison: Here Comes The Sun
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No.3 (1st movt)
Legrand: What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life
Quincy Jones: On Days Like This
Will Gregory: Journey to the Sky
Whitfield/Strong: I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Bacharach/David: I Say A Little Prayer




The Will Gregory Moog Ensemble
BBC Concert Orchestra
Stephen Bell conductor

Woodstock, the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon, the ongoing Vietnam War, The Beatles’ final album (Abbey Road) – 1969 was a pivotal year.

This Prom explores the film and popular music of 1969 to revive the soundtrack of a special summer.

The BBC Concert Orchestra under Stephen Bell presents a typically wide-angled view, taking in music inspired by the era-defining Woodstock festival, excerpts from the films Battle of Britain, The Italian Job, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Midnight Cowboy, and ‘Here Comes the Sun’ from The Beatles’ final album Abbey Road.

As the USA’s victory in the space race inspired new music to match the emerging digital era, the Moog synthesizer broke into the mainstream with the album Switched-on Bach. A concert evoking the end of the Swinging Sixties, with a cross-generational appeal that offers both a sunburst of nostalgia and iconic revivals.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

An interesting concept.

A couple of notes:
The Walton Battle of Britain music was largely unheard in 1969, most of it being replaced by a Ron Goodwin score.
Abbey Road was The Beatles' penultimate album.

[Joseph K]

Abbey Road was The Beatles' penultimate album.

True, but it was their last recorded album.

[Rcartes]

What on earth is this pop sh1te doing in THE WORLD'S GREATEST CLASSICAL MUSIC FESTIVAL according to the BBC Proms website?

[Stunsworth]

Abbey Road was The Beatles' penultimate album.

No, it was the last album they recorded.

[kernelbogey]

What on earth is this pop sh1te doing in THE WORLD'S GREATEST CLASSICAL MUSIC FESTIVAL according to the BBC Proms website?

I heard bits of this on the radio. I was there in 1969 and no, I don't remember it like that. Very weird.

[Stunsworth]

What on earth is this pop sh1te doing in THE WORLD'S GREATEST CLASSICAL MUSIC FESTIVAL according to the BBC Proms website?

I must grab a listen, you make it sound interesting.

[pilamenon]

I must grab a listen, you make it sound interesting.

It was basically like a routine Friday Night Is Music Night. The stage presenter's script and his delivery of it were absolutely awful.

[Bella Kemp]

It was basically like a routine Friday Night Is Music Night. The stage presenter's script and his delivery of it were absolutely awful.

Ghastly - you say it right pilamenon: a concert better suited to those older radio 2 listeners.

[edashtav]

Ghastly - you say it right pilamenon: a concert better suited to those older radio 2 listeners.

H.M.P. : Historically misinformed performances. Execrable.

[kernelbogey]

[...]The stage presenter's script and his delivery of it were absolutely awful.

[LMcD]

If (when) I want to 'revisit the 60s' I'll listen to the original versions of the works concerned rather than some pointless rehash. A recreation of, say, a Schubertiade or other historic concert is a worthwhile creative endeavour, but if I want to hear 'Something' by The Beatles that's precisely what I shall go for.

[Constantbee]

Underwhelming. Could have been sooooo much better because the Moog Synth was THE must have piece of kit they were ALL talking about at the time. Never realised it was named after a certain Robert Moog. First demonstrated at Monterey Jazz 1967 its influence stretched right across the musical board from electronic pioneers like John Cage and La Monte Young (Drift Study) to The Doors (the best examples are probably Strange Days and Waiting for the Sun), The Monkeys (even), Keith Emerson … Matt Morton’s soundtrack to ‘Apollo 11’ says it far better. Try this clip called 'Lift Off and Staging' if you're interested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=677UmfeowaQ

[Ein Heldenleben]

I listened to the first half . I don’t have a problem with this sort of stuff in the Proms . Musically Bacharach , William Walton and Lennon McCartney are not inferior to G and S or the waltzing Strauss’s who made up light music Proms in years gone by. On a historically informed performance note ( since this issue has been raised ) I did not enjoy the over the top back- phrasing in Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.
I just think the excellent indeed peerless Matthew Sweet would have been so much better employed as the presenter than as the stuck- in -the -booth top and tail announcer. I gave up at half time for the delights of Schoenberg and Schumann on BBC FOUR.

[teamsaint]

If (when) I want to 'revisit the 60s' I'll listen to the original versions of the works concerned rather than some pointless rehash. A recreation of, say, a Schubertiade or other historic concert is a worthwhile creative endeavour, but if I want to hear 'Something' by The Beatles that's precisely what I shall go for.

Well I tend to agree.
But

There is an elephant in the room, and that is around developing new performing traditions for this music.

Live performance is a central feature of rock and pop, and as those who created the music move on, or away from live performance, there is a space to keep this music alive as concert music.
I’m not exactly sure how this can happen , but straight tribute acts, or these kind or Proms ( from the earlier ones I have heard) probably aren’t it.

There is a hint of some direction in (semi ) authorised tribute shows or acts ,EG Clem Burke touring with a Blondie tribute act, but there has to be room for really creative approaches.

I was hoping that in the wake of Bowie’s passing that interesting things might happen. Maybe they are, but I don’t hear them.Listening to ”Low” the other day, it occurred to me that this would be a good record to base something around.