Prom 36 (9.6.12): Glamorous Night: A Celebration of Ivor Novello

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Thursday 9 August at 10.15 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

Sophie Bevan soprano
Toby Spence tenor
Simon Callow narrator

Hallé Orchestra
Sir Mark Elder conductor

The Hallé Orchestra and conductor Mark Elder 'keep the home fires burning' in this Late Night Prom celebrating the work of Ivor Novello: actor, playwright, composer and raconteur. With singers Sophie Bevan and Toby Spence, and actor Simon Callow.

Novello was the most consistently successful composer of British musicals before Andrew Lloyd Webber, but is now somewhat neglected. The Hallé is joined by soprano Sophie Bevan and tenor Toby Spence to sing through the Novello songbook, and they're helped along the way by Simon Callow as master of ceremonies.

Ivor Novello:
Till The Boys Come Home (Keep the Home Fires Burning)
Glamorous Night: Overture
Glamorous Night: Fold Your Wings
Crest of the Wave: Why Isn't It You?
The Dancing Years: I Can Give You the Starlight
The Dancing Years: My Life Belongs To You
Muranian Rhapsody
The Dancing Years: My Dearest Dear
King's Rhapsody: Someday My Heart Will Awake
King's Rhapsody: The Violin Began to Play
Glamorous Night: Shine Through My Dreams
Pray for Me
Careless Rapture: Love Made the Song
'We'll gather Lilacs'

[rauschwerk]

Is there anyone who (apart from Roger Wright) thinks that 90 minutes of Novello's music will make a satisfying concert? I have played a good deal of it in my time and it seems to me to lack variety, to say the least. It's noticeable that in the trailer for this Prom Simon Callow talks over the music the whole time. Isn't this simply a nostalgia trip for the over-100s?

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

er not me .... this music was nostalgic before it was written

[salymap]

Even as a teenager I found Ivor Novello and his music embarrassing and tedious. A friend and I saw Perchance to Dream with Ivor himself in the cast. I remember 'Highwayman Love' sung by Olive someone and the composer dressed in mauve velvet knickerbockers. The remainder has, thankfully, been forgotten.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Is there anyone who (apart from Roger Wright) thinks that 90 minutes of Novello's music will make a satisfying concert?

Mark Elder?
Simon Callow?
Geard McBurney?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2012...s-simon-callow

er not me .... this music was nostalgic before it was written

[Ferretfancy]

I was taken as a young teenager to a matinee of Gay's the Word! ( No irony intended ) when a teenager, and the spectacle of the ageing Cicely Courtnedge being thrown around the stage by a bunch of sailors made me cringe under my seat. That said, Simon Callow wrote an interesting article about Novello a couple of days ago. I might try sampling the evening.

[french frank]

[Ed: Note that the new I. Novello thread has been merged with the earlier one]

[salymap]

I was taken as a young teenager to a matinee of Gay's the Word! ( No irony intended ) when a teenager, and the spectacle of the ageing Cicely Courtnedge being thrown around thby a bunch of sailors made me cringe under my seat. That said, Simon Callow wrote an interesting article about Novello a couple of days ago. I might try sampling the evening.

I suppose it was a form of escapism during and after WW2 but my fear is that 'We'll gather lilacs' will resurface.

I admit I liked singing it [at home] until I got to better things.

[french frank]

And to add a comment: it will be a chance to discover whether there are hidden depths or merely a surface charm (of a slightly sickly nature). Let us listen critically!

Note - it's a late night Prom.

[amateur51]

And to add a comment: it will be a chance to discover whether there are hidden depths or merely a surface charm (of a slightly sickly nature). Let us listen critically!

Note - it's a late night Prom.

These days, surface charm seems to be a highly-prized commodity