Prom 2 (31.07.21) - The Golden Age of Broadway

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:30 Saturday 31 July 2021 ON TV
Royal Albert Hall

Rodgers: Overture - South Pacific
Berlin: There’s No Business Like Show Business (Annie Get Your Gun)
Gershwin/Porter: The Rhythm’s Alright with Me (‘I got rhythm’ and ‘It’s alright with me’)
Porter: You’re The Top (Anything Goes)
Rodgers & Hart: My Funny Valentine (Babes in Arms)
Rodgers & Hammerstein: Oh, what a beautiful morning! (Oklahoma!)
Rodgers: (When I Marry) Mister Snow (Carousel)
Rodgers: Some Enchanted Evening (South Pacific)
Rodgers: Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (On Your Toes)
Loewe: Overture - Gigi
Loewe: Show Me (My Fair Lady)
Loewe: On the Street Where You Live (My Fair Lady)
Loewe: I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face (My Fair Lady)
Gershwin: Someone to Watch Over Me (Oh Kay!)
Gershwin: Promenade - Walking the Dog (Shall We Dance)
Loesser: Joey, Joey, Joey (The Most Happy Fella)
Kern: All the Things You Are (Very Warm for May)
Porter: You’re Sensational (High Society)
Martin/ Blane: The Trolley Song (Meet Me in St Louis)
Porter: Who wants to be a Millionaire? (High Society)

Louise Dearman (singer)
Katie Hall (singer)
Nadim Naaman (singer)
Jamie Parker (singer)
BBC Concert Orchestra
Richard Balcombe (conductor)

Smell the greasepaint and feel the blaze of those Broadway lights, as the BBC Concert Orchestra whisks you away for a night at the musicals. The toe-tapping favourites include songs from musicals including South Pacific, My Fair Lady, Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun and High Society, all performed by the ever-versatile BBC Concert Orchestra – and some special guest soloists.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Call me cynical, but I wonder whether the word “singer” rather than “soprano”, “tenor”, etc. merely suggests the need for the voice to be miked up to compensate for either poor voice projection or overloaded orchestration.

[pastoralguy]

Call me cynical, but I wonder whether the word “singer” rather than “soprano”, “tenor”, etc. merely suggests the need for the voice to be miked up to compensate for either poor voice projection or overloaded orchestration.

Who cares? Lovely music that strikes a chord with so many people, especially in these stressful times.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Call me cynical, but I wonder whether the word “singer” rather than “soprano”, “tenor”, etc. merely suggests the need for the voice to be miked up to compensate for either poor voice projection or overloaded orchestration.

Having been to a few live John Wilson Proms I can say that the amplification at the hall does the voice no favours . Also heard Wilson and an amplified Louise Dearman ar the Colston Hall and indeed Kim Criswell ( she was amplified though she doesn’t need it ) at Snape where the sound was excellent . At the Royal Albert Hall the amplified voice seems to swim around in the bath . One prom better heard at home…

[Cockney Sparrow]

Having been to a few live John Wilson Proms I can say that the amplification at the hall does the voice no favours . Also heard Wilson and an amplified Louise Dearman ar the Colston Hall and indeed Kim Criswell ( she was amplified though she doesn’t need it ) at Snape where the sound was excellent . At the Royal Albert Hall the amplified voice seems to swim around in the bath . One prom better heard at home…

I've been at BBC concerts (mainly Proms, of course) at the RAH where the soloist is rather underpowered for the work - although not disastrously so. (And given where I usually sit, I should be able to judge that fairly). On listening to the broadcast on the iPlayer at home, its all balanced to boost that soloists contribution (levelling up? (eh....)). On one occasion, I think it was a Four Last Songs - principal attraction of the concert - I did make a mental note to consider this aspect before booking to make the trip to South Ken - even when its about 90 minutes door to door for me.

I realise the form of the singer on the night is variable - as is common from my opera-going. But I have a small list of singers who I wouldn't make the trip to hear in particular repertoire, at the RAH. (And of course some I'd travel a long way to hear, in the hope they would be in regular form or better).

[Ein Heldenleben]

I've been at BBC concerts (mainly Proms, of course) at the RAH where the soloist is rather underpowered for the work - although not disastrously so. (And given where I usually sit, I should be able to judge that fairly). On listening to the broadcast on the iPlayer at home, its all balanced to boost that soloists contribution (levelling up? (eh....)). On one occasion, I think it was a Four Last Songs - principal attraction of the concert - I did make a mental note to consider this aspect before booking to make the trip to South Ken - even when its about 90 minutes door to door for me.

I realise the form of the singer on the night is variable - as is common from my opera-going. But I have a small list of singers who I wouldn't make the trip to hear in particular repertoire, at the RAH. (And of course some I'd travel a long way to hear, in the hope they would be in regular form or better).

The RAH doesnt favour unamplified singers much either . It’s much larger than the traditional Italian Opera House (Covent Garden) or large multi purpose Matcham designed auditoria like the Colly . The singer doesn’t have flats helping reflecting the sound out or an orchestra sunk down for them to float over (hopefully) . However have to say most of the singers I’ve heard there over the years (eg Baker , Fleming , Stemme , Skelton ) have no problem making themselves heard . (Sensitive conducting helps ! )

[Ein Heldenleben]

I think because one is arguing against a form of natural evolution (as with Radio 3). The victor will be "What People Like": in the end the majority wins. There is no intellectual argument that counts, neither reason nor justification.

I think I’ve produced an “intellectual argument” . Gershwin and Rodgers are just as good light composers as Sullivan and the Strauss’.The latter have had entire nights devoted to them since inception so why not the former. The real question is why The Strauss family and G and S have disappeared to be replaced by Jacob Collier, Paloma Faith , Radio 3 salutes urban etc….That is very much to do with changing taste and crucially what R3 determines contemporary taste to be…

As an afterthought an even more pertinent question (and I am speaking as a sports fanatic who will be watching the olympics end to end ) is why This summers TV is wall to wall sport and so very little Arts and Culture. Three hours of the Hundred last night….it’s just too much.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

On listening to the broadcast on the iPlayer at home, its all balanced to boost that soloists contribution (levelling up? (eh....)).

This is commonplace on recordings too. It's unnatural in that it "bigs" up soloists (vocal and instrumental) and often ruins the natural balance created by the musicians themselves. A good example of this was the VPO/Rattle Dream of Gerontius Prom. The live soloists blended beautifully, but in the recording of the broadcast Magdalena Kožená sounded unnaturally close, with the orchestra and chorus artificially receded. Once you leave the balance to sound technicians, there's a danger of a downward spiral. Sme balance engineers, like the late Kenneth Wilkinson, are almost impeccable, but others shouldn't be let near to a classical concert.

[Ein Heldenleben]

This is commonplace on recordings too. It's unnatural in that it "bigs" up soloists (vocal and instrumental) and often ruins the natural balance created by the musicians themselves. A good example of this was the VPO/Rattle Dream of Gerontius Prom. The live soloists blended beautifully, but in the recording of the broadcast Magdalena Kožená sounded unnaturally close, with the orchestra and chorus artificially receded. Once you leave the balance to sound technicians, there's a danger of a downward spiral. Sme balance engineers, like the late Kenneth Wilkinson, are almost impeccable, but others shouldn't be let near to a classical concert.

Almost wonder whether there’s a difference between a studio recording where the conductor will have a big say (or in the case of Karajan total say ) in the balance and live relays where for obvious reasons their only control is in the concert hall. In my admittedly 40 years old experience the studio or live relay producer has a lot of say in such matters and can ,in theory , overrule the studio manager or balance engineer .

[marvin]

Doesn't show it to be on TV in my listing!

[LMcD]

Doesn't show it to be on TV in my listing!

August 7th BBC2

[marvin]

Thanks.

[bluestateprommer]

This Prom is a fun listen, where I see Heldenleben's point about the female singers making more of an impact than the male singers so far. The BBC CO also sounds on solid form, likewise RB. Must confess that I didn't catch on to the title mash-up of "The Rhythm's Alright With Me" until I saw the explanation of the combo of "I Got Rhythn" with "It's Alright With Me", because "The Rhythm's Alright With Me" sounds very much like a real title of a song by any one of the composers on this concert. (Maybe someone will write a song with that title at some point.)

I note that the singers went for American accents all during the first half. Of course, one will expect that to change for My Fair Lady .

One modest slip from Petroc, when he accidentally talked over the first notes of "Oh what a beautiful mornin'", but clearly unintended. He clearly is enjoying presenting this Prom.

[Ein Heldenleben]

This Prom is a fun listen, where I see Heldenleben's point about the female singers making more of an impact than the male singers so far. The BBC CO also sounds on solid form, likewise RB. Must confess that I didn't catch on to the title mash-up of "The Rhythm's Alright With Me" until I saw the explanation of the combo of "I Got Rhythn" with "It's Alright With Me", because "The Rhythm's Alright With Me" sounds very much like a real title of a song by any one of the composers on this concert. (Maybe someone will write a song with that title at some point.)

I note that the singers went for American accents all during the first half. Of course, one will expect that to change for My Fair Lady .

One modest slip from Petroc, when he accidentally talked over the first notes of "Oh what a beautiful mornin'", but clearly unintended. He clearly is enjoying presenting this Prom.

Singer of the night - Cole Porter himself doing Anything Goes ?
Who seemed to have an English accent but wasn’t he New England posh?

[LMcD]

Singer of the night - Cole Porter himself doing Anything Goes ?
Who seemed to have an English accent but wasn’t he New England posh?

Born in Peru, Indiana, he was the only surviving child of a wealthy family. His mother was apparently 'the indulged daughter of the richest man in Indiana'.