Anyone watching?

I'm sadly reduced to seeing it on iPlayer. Video is crap of couse, but sound is coing through quite nicely all considered. {spit}digital TV signal is dropping out completely here - never had that with analogue

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It wasn't me!
(Well, actually, it probably was)

We watched it live on our telly with the Bose lifestyle system on it (my wife's from some time ago). The sound would definitely have been better on the other telly going into the B&W 602s. That was a nice singer that dress was wearing. The Vaughan Williams viola stuff was good, and it was nice to see a decent conductor after some of the abysmal ones we've had this year. I thought Paul Daniels' 1910 last night was a bit of a wankfest - but I loved the Monteverdi vespers with all that lush gear on stage.

The bbc was in total 'new labour' mind set
Some twatty new vocal piece from a composer who claimed no knowledge of Parry.
Rene Fleming reading the lyrics to 'rule brittania'!
The hornpipe reduced to a bland medley.
The czech conductor good but innarticulate for a 'fun' night.
Senseless ob's from round the nation ,all out of sync, even the one in hyde park a mile away.

However ,against all odds the sound and pix in hd were excellent and beyond reproach.

Their excuse is they gave us the 1910 version on friday night, bbc balance.

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I am the Walrus.

Yeah, a short "thanks, guys" speech would have been better but then again I doubt if I could have done as well in Czech.

Quote tacitus:

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(my wife's from some time ago).

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So's mine but she's good to the kids.

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Ohm's Law states, "Your PA isn't as powerful as you think it is".

Rather fun the way the director cut away from Renee whenever a bow threatened - after the first time, of course! What a dress - quite put off me tea. Thought her spot miking was a bit close and merciless, though.

All that lip service to old Henry and then they ditch his Fantasia on British Sea Songs. And embellishments in Rule, Britannia! - whatever next. The whole point of the last night used to be that it was an end-of-term bash after a lot of good music - now the popular view is that it's the sum total of the festival (grump, grump...)

Yes, it was an 'adventurous' dress

I've noticed the shift in the Last Night in recent years. Far more formulated and toned down. None of the rapport that you used to get. I remember one conductor berating the crowd for not putting enough effort into Rule Britania, telling them they wouldn't be allowed to leave until they got it right - to uproarious laughter.

P.S.
Didn't you used to have to have attended a certain number of concerts before you could get in on the last night?

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It wasn't me!
(Well, actually, it probably was)

Edited by Folderol (14/09/10 06:18 PM)

The whole event has been emasculated for the world audience

No longer a jolly silly British end of term romp

Flag waivers now multinational and relegated to the rear of the hall

No witty banter tween Promenaders and conductor

Worst still the castration of the music and the dumbing down of the last night of the worlds greatest classical festival.

I blame Harriet Harman
She must have something to do with it........

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I am the Walrus.

I can remember when we got a firsf half of good, interesting music and, as you say, all the silly business at the end in time-honoured fashion. I accept that it can't stay exactly the same for ever but it is going dumb faster than the rest of the proms. I'm not even sure the widening focus (is that technically possible?) on the rest of the UK is entirely right. I always thought Flanders and Swann's 'a Song of patriotic predjudice' would be just the job. But then, I'm a classic grumpy old git so what would I know?

The Last Night second half as it evolved was a balance of fun and seriousness, rather than solemnity, and I speak as a Prommer of years gone by, on both sides of the glass. Have a good roar in the fun stuff, but take Jerusalem seriously, and remember old Sir Henry and what his festival stood for. And we did stand - night after night in the arena, drinking it in. After a season of that, you felt like letting off some steam.

But that dress - it's giving me nightmares...

Quote tacitus:

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I can remember when we got a firsf half of good, interesting music and, as you say, all the silly business at the end in time-honoured fashion. I accept that it can't stay exactly the same for ever but it is going dumb faster than the rest of the proms. I'm not even sure the widening focus (is that technically possible?) on the rest of the UK is entirely right. I always thought Flanders and Swann's 'a Song of patriotic predjudice' would be just the job. But then, I'm a classic grumpy old git so what would I know?

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Flanders and Swann, must look that up.
I like Armstrong and Millers version of the twosome ,very rude on occasion, don't think Harriette could have heard them yet.

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I am the Walrus.

Quote ROLO46:

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Flanders and Swann, must look that up.
I like Armstrong and Millers version of the twosome ,very rude on occasion, don't think Harriette could have heard them yet.

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"The English, the English, the English are best
I wouldn't give tuppence for all of the rest!"

Was that written before or after Tom Lehrer's:

"Oh, the Protestants hate the Catholics,
And the Catholics hate the Protestants,
And the Hindus hate the Muslims,
And everybody hates the Jews.
But during National Brotherhood Week..."?

Quote ROLO46:

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Flanders and Swann, must look that up.

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Intelligent English wit personified.

I doubt they would be allowed to perform some of their material today.

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Website / Music Lab Machines / Blog

Quote hollowsun:

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Quote ROLO46:

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Flanders and Swann, must look that up.

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Intelligent English wit personified.

I doubt they would be allowed to perform some of their material today.

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Which bits do you feel would be censored?

Well, I suppose "Madeira, M'Dear" would raise some eyebrows nowadays, though it can't be any worse than "Smack My Bitch Up", can it? Just too intelligent for the modern taste, unfortunately, although we may hope the Armstrong and Miller parodies will send some of their audience off to find the originals. I like to think Flanders and Swann would laugh at these - a man who had seen active service in the war before contracting polio would like as not be unshockable - although Flanders did say that the avowed aim of modern performers was to strip away the cosy layer of comfort from entertainment, whilst his and Swann's job was to put it all back again!

"National Brotherhood Week" was written in 1965, "Pariotic Prejudice" in 1963, two years after "Beyond the Fringe". Check out some of Paddy Roberts' stuff as well...

Edited by Ted Kendall (18/09/10 02:02 PM)

Quote Ted Kendall:

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Well, I suppose "Madeira, M'Dear" would raise some eyebrows nowadays...

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Strangely enough, we performed it only last night (with actions)! Went down just as well as usual.

Armstrong and Miller have their version on the tube which ends with
'all foriegners are cxunts, Blipped with tone and a BBC C test card'

What would Harriette say?

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I am the Walrus.

Quote ROLO46:

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Armstrong and Miller have their version on the tube which ends with
'all foriegners are cxunts, Blipped with tone and a BBC C test card'

What would Harriette say?

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Possibly "Sorry, I didn't catch that, I was on my mobile phone".