GLAMOROUS NIGHT

GLAMOROUS NIGHT 
– THE IVOR NOVELLO PROM

The Halle at the Albert Hall

09.08.12

What would Ivor have thought ? A whole programme of his music, in the Albert Hall, on the wireless, with the Halle, no less.

It's not the first time his music has been heard at the Proms, though; the 1914 season saw two parlour songs …

We might have expected the Concert Orchestra with Barry Wordsworth, even Vernon Midgely, and Ken Bruce narrating. But no, no expense spared here, with the Halle, no less, Mark Elder [an Ivor fan, apparently] and the inimitable Simon Callow to sketch the life of this remarkably versatile, and incredibly popular, man of the theatre, honouring the tunesmith and matinee idol who dominated London's stage musicals in the 1930s and 1940s. And how well he did it, with anecdotes immaculately timed, making the vast arena seem intimate and cosy.

And there were nice touches, like the sofa, and the elegant evening wear. The vocal selections were delivered by Sophie Bevan and Toby Spence: a good sense of the period, though these are modern voices, of course, with no-one to recall the stentorian tones of Olive Gilbert in her prime.

A very entertaining evening, and oddly moving, too; a welcome addition to the ever-widening musical remit of the BBC Proms.

try this for a proper review ....

A CELEBRATION OF RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN

BBC Prom 49 at the Royal Albert Hall

22.08.10

Since I saw John Wilson's MGM Prom on television last year, I'd been looking forward to his return to the Albert Hall.

And thanks to my colleague from Musical Opinion, I had an excellent ringside seat.

It was an intensely enjoyable hour and three quarters. Wilson's hand-picked band, led by Andrew Haveron, were on sparkling form, and put heart and soul into these movie classics. Yes, these were the Hollywood arrangements we were hearing, written for similarly stellar bands in the 50s and 60s, in Wilson's new performing editions.

The non-stop music began and ended with Oklahoma, the Overture and Main title leading into Julian Ovenden's Oh What A Beautiful Morning. We were impressed by his Sondheim work a couple of weeks ago, and he seemed equally at home in this more innocent world. He was joined by the excellent Sierra Boggess [Christine in Love Never Dies] for a delicious People Will Say We're In Love.

Carousel was equally strong, with its intoxicating Waltz and the touching Soliloquy [Ovenden again] as well as a roof-raising June Is Bustin' Out All Over from Kim Criswell and the Maida Vale Singers, who gave sterling support throughout, including some character work – Nothing Like A Dame, for example, from South Pacific. Anna-Jane Casey and Rod Gilfry were the duettists here, in the twin soliloquies leading into Some Enchanted Evening.

The climax was Climb Every Mountain [Criswell, perhaps lacking the register for the role] but for me Boggess's inhabiting of the Julie Andrews numbers - I Have Confidence and Something Good – best represented the Sound of Music. The women from Maida Vale gave us the most classical piece of the afternoon, an A Cappella anthem; since the RAH organ was pressed into service for Sondheim, I was a little disappointed not to have the Processional for Maria's Wedding ...

No doubt, though, who the star of the show was, with his style and stage presence, complete with tail coat and red towel – for the hot and humid Albert Hall – John Wilson, whose enthusiasm and intuitive understanding of these wonderful scores made this a highlight of this year's Promming.

BBC Prom 37

BBC Philharmonic, Gianandrea Noseda

13.08.10

Noseda is a persuasive champion of Dallapiccola's orchestral works. Two CDs [with the BBC PO] on Chandos, and talk of a third.

So no surprise to find the early Partita programmed in this prom. It's a work of many colours, beginning with the dark low notes and steady rhythms of a solemn processional, which moves slowly into the sunny upland, guided by Yuri Torchinsky's limpid violin. Then a Scherzo [Burlesca] with plenty of percussion and a pastoral theme passed around the BBC Phil's impressive woodwind section. After the calm of the Recitative, an animated passage leading to the sacred lullaby, reminiscent of Mahler, beautifully and simply sung by Sarah Tynan, though I suspect a steelier tone might have carried the vocal line more effectively to the further reaches of this vast space.

The other Italian work was the familiar Force of Destiny, played with urgent freshness to open the evening. Languorous melodies from the woodwind, and the big theme magically emerging as if from nothing.

Smaller forces after the interval for Bruch's First Violin Concerto, with James Ehnes. Not a heart-on-sleeve account, but eloquent and passionate, with superb rhythmic attack in the Finale, and lightness and brilliance in the final bars, Noseda giving his trademark leaps on the podium.

A vivid reading of Schumann's Fourth Symphony ended the programme; the Scherzo marked by determination rather than dash, but with plenty of energy in reserve for the final sprint to the finish.

SONDHEIM AT 80

BBC Prom at the Royal Albert Hall

31.07.10


There could have been a whole week of such concerts without anywhere near exhausting the riches of the Sondheim canon !

We were in the fourth row of choir seats, and apart from the pleasure of sharing the occasion, and feeling the mighty organ vibrate, we were able to watch the conductor's obvious, and understandable, delight at being in charge of it all …

It would have been worth the ticket price just to hear this excellent band play the Overture to Follies. But we also had generous extracts from Sunday in the Park with George, Simon Russell Beale and Dame Judi Dench. Not forgetting the grand old man himself, coming on to take a bow at the end.

Here's a proper rave review from an expert in the field …

THE UKULELE ORCHESTRA OF GREAT BRITAIN

Late Night Prom at the Albert Hall

18.08.09

As Hey Jude kicked in, a couple of brave souls waved lighters in the air. A few more tried the more up-to-date mobile phones. Then, suddenly, it was ukes. Ukuleles of every shape, size and plumage, swaying to the Mélange of the first encore.

Almost every other prommer seemed to be clutching an instrument case: strumming in the long queues, chatting in the bars and corridors.

Good to see a late night sold out, with Arena fairly packed too, and a lusty cheer from the Gallery.

The Ukes programme included many old favourites. It began, appropriately for radio, with Puffin' Billy. A nod to the Proms brand with a low-key Jerusalem, and the interactive highlight, Beethoven/Schiller's Ode to Joy with all 1000+ amateurs strumming along. Strangely muted, I thought, though surely not through modesty. But still very potent, a magic moment of communion in this vast Village Hall.

There are calls for this to be an annual event. But surely we should be looking for something just as off the wall for next year. I don't suppose Nige would lead five hundred grade three fiddles in “Summer”. But Rolf Harris is

very popular, and would certainly pack the Albert Hall. Dust off your didgeridoo, dig out that Stylophone …

PROM 13

Royal Albert Hall

26.07.09

We saw Mohican boy crossing the street in front of the Royal College of Music at least 90 minutes before the Prom.

Turns out he was featured on bongo and vibraphone.

Percussion was prominent in this new collaborative work – A Rough Guide to the Proms Family Orchestra – based loosely on the concept of Britten's guide, with which it shared the programme.

No narration in either, unfortunately, though the new piece, conducted by Lincoln Abbotts, did have Ian McMillan's verse: The night is salted with stars …

It was a varied ten minutes, influenced by folk music from England and Algeria, and featuring a wide array of instruments and talents, with a few BBCPO hands in there as mentors. Probably more fun to do than to hear.

Elsewhere, though, this was no dumbed-down kids' concert. Young Generation Artist Jennifer Pike gave us a rare Holst – A Song of the Night – and there was a world premiere of Richard Rodney Bennett's orchestral version of his Lilliburlero Variations. All played very stylishly by the BBC Phil, on early duty after their wonderful Prom of the night before.