Prom 53 (28.08.20) Live performance; Eroica Symphony

[Bryn]

I find Fry both funny, well-read, and of considerable intellect. However, that does not make him the right person for the role he carried out last night. He's mad about Wagner but otherwise not noted for his musical acumen. As to his health. He is famously bipolar and also had his prostate and several lymph modes removed a couple of years ago, due to aggresive cancer.

[Alison]

I find SF’s involvement in virtual Choral Evensong ridiculous in view of his often stated aversion to the God of Christianity.

[cloughie]

I was delighted to hear a live concert . I did not warm to Whitacre’s bland piece . The commission was OK and Quiet City was effective .

I enjoyed the Eroica but good points are made above re the balance - my ideal Eroica is probably Erich Kleiber with the VPO and the first part of the first movement lacked grip and fire for me but things improved from them on .

PS How anyone can describe Stephen Fry as a celeb smartass beggars belief . A really offensive and inaccurate statement.

I guess that’s beauty of difference of opinion and the right to freely express it.

[Bryn]

I find SF’s involvement in virtual Choral Evensong ridiculous in view of his often stated aversion to the God of Christianity.

Or any organised religion, though in his youth he did consider training as a C of E vicar.

[Alison]

Or any organised religion, though in his youth he did consider training as a C of E vicar.

Interesting.

[Nick Armstrong]

SF’s involvement in virtual Choral Evensong

What was his involvement?

I couldn’t take any of the chat in the Prom TV broadcast...

... nor did I appear to be in the right mood for the concert (or perhaps it wasn’t all my fault, judging by some posts above).

[Alison]

He read from the Bible in such a manner that it was a performance ! https://youtu.be/3X8FYAb3JK0

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Sorry, but that's EXACTLY what he is, or at least how he comes across to me.
A smug, self-styled, self-promoting pundit who actually doesn't know his stuff and someone to whom the BBC gave too much airtime.
Actually, I thought that we'd got rid of him and that he was now living in California, surrounded by luvvies, so was quite surprised to see him in the RAH.
Was there REALLY no-one else available?

Well, isn't that the BBC way? Choose a celebrity, rather that someone who's best suited to the job? (That doesn't explain KD though.)

[gurnemanz]

Well, isn't that the BBC way? Choose a celebrity, rather that someone who's best suited to the job?

Well, no it isn't.

[Barbirollians]

Whether Stephen Fry was the right person for Friday’s broadcast is a matter of opinion . The ad hominem attacks on him are more about the prejudices of those attacking him. He is a polymath who does not profess to know everything hence his admission that he did not know Quiet City. Yes he was probably brought in as a high profile music lover not as a music expert but we had the other contributor too. They both gave rather similar responses.

[gurnemanz]

Whether Stephen Fry was the right person for Friday’s broadcast is a matter of opinion . The ad hominem attacks on him are more about the prejudices of those attacking him. He is a polymath who does not profess to know everything hence his admission that he did not know Quiet City. Yes he was probably brought in as a high profile music lover not as a music expert but we had the other contributor too. They both gave rather similar responses.

Alas, he did not have much of interest to say on this occasion but can be good value and I agree that it was most unedifying to read the nasty abuse offered above. As you say, it seems not unreasonable in principle for the TV version of the First Night to have a panel of an enthusiastic punter and a composer as an expert practitioner.

[edashtav]

It was Jonathan Scott who played last night.
Sadly, John Scott (certainly a natural, and a much missed choir director to boot) is no longer with us.

I listened to Saint-Saens Symphony with Organ, recast as a Symphony without Orchestra, by Jonathan Scott with growing dismay. The composer and his idol, Liszt, frequently resorted to decoration and embellishment for variety, and simplying textures to allow the piece to be played by two hands and two feet can produce an unwelcome and unidiomatic starkness. Add the slow pace that Scott adopted for the poco adagio section and some listeners may feel Lisztless.

Give some organists a Big Beast and they go wild. I felt that during Jonathan's encore - Nimrod. The quiet beauty of the whole was spoiled by the over loud climax in the middle.

[LMcD]

Sorry, but that's EXACTLY what he is, or at least how he comes across to me.
A smug, self-styled, self-promoting pundit who actually doesn't know his stuff and someone to whom the BBC gave too much airtime.
Actually, I thought that we'd got rid of him and that he was now living in California, surrounded by luvvies, so was quite surprised to see him in the RAH.
Was there REALLY no-one else available?

David Icke? Nigel Farage? Sandi Toksvig? Arthur Scargill? Tom Service? Miss Alker? Miss Klein?
There are already more than enough 'experts' on the radio and TV, some of them regrettably nowhere near as articulate as Stephen Fry.

[teamsaint]

Whether Stephen Fry was the right person for Friday’s broadcast is a matter of opinion . The ad hominem attacks on him are more about the prejudices of those attacking him. He is a polymath who does not profess to know everything hence his admission that he did not know Quiet City. Yes he was probably brought in as a high profile music lover not as a music expert but we had the other contributor too. They both gave rather similar responses.

Opinions I would call them. Based on experience, and thought through.
“Prejudice” is generally appiled to something less acceptable.

[Pulcinella]

David Icke? Nigel Farage? Sandi Toksvig? Arthur Scargill? Tom Service? Miss Alker? Miss Klein?
There are already more than enough 'experts' on the radio and TV, some of them regrettably nowhere near as articulate as Stephen Fry.

I'm sure that an articulate orchestral member who wasn't playing in that concert could have been found, and that that person's thoughts and comments would probably have been more salient and worthwhile.