Hooray For Hollywood

[golightly]

John Wilson and his orchestra perform Hollywood musical classics on tonight's prom, Radio3 7.30. Also televised on BBC2 Saturday 3rd September 9.15.

[Edward G]

Thanks Golightly.
Always look out for the movie nights on the proms.
The rest is garbage, as evidenced by that godawful "comedy proms" on Saturday night.
What a load of old tripe!

[mrs_emma_peel]

Really looking forward to this Proms Concert.
John Wilson re-creates a magnificent, stunning big cinematic sound with his superb,
very carefully selected, very best, orchestral players.
His Rodgers and Hammerstein Proms Concert was absolutely marvellous.
Emma

[golightly]

as evidenced by that godawful "comedy proms" on Saturday night.
What a load of old tripe!

Yes, what was that all about, and a full house to witness it, surely there can't be that many people in the World who find that stuff funny.

[golightly]

Really looking forward to this Proms Concert.
John Wilson re-creates a magnificent, stunning big cinematic sound with his superb,
very carefully selected, very best, orchestral players.
His Rodgers and Hammerstein Proms Concert was absolutely marvellous.
Emma

He never disappoints does he, It will be even better on the box.

[Gerald Lovell]

I'm due to attend a couple of concerts in Glasgow in two weeks: Psycho with the score played live and Music to Murder By, both conducted by John Wilson, and am anticipating two exceptional events.

[golightly]

I'm due to attend a couple of concerts in Glasgow in two weeks: Psycho with the score played live and Music to Murder By, both conducted by John Wilson, and am anticipating two exceptional events.

I think you're in for a treat Gerald, they performed Psycho at this years prom, terrific stuff, here's a short excerpt from it.

BBC - BBC Radio 3 Programmes - BBC Proms, Psycho: Music from the Hitchcock film by Bernard Herrmann

[Gerald Lovell]

Many thanks for the link, golightly.

[Heinrich]

I watched the show on TV and couldn't figure out what all those violins were trying to do with big band music. The orchestra completely drowned out the mediocre singers who were doing a poor job of impersonating Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth.

[golightly]

I watched the show on TV and couldn't figure out what all those violins were trying to do with big band music. The orchestra completely drowned out the mediocre singers who were doing a poor job of impersonating Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth.

The big Hollywood musicals were scored for big orchestras not big bands. Mediocre singers? They are all recognised as highly talented performers in opera, jazz and on Broadway.

[Heinrich]

... Mediocre singers? They are all recognised as highly talented performers in opera, jazz and on Broadway.

I'll have to take your word for that, golightly. I couldn't hear them, you see, with the scores of musicians backing them up.

[golightly]

On reflection Heinrich, it wasn't as good as last year's performance so I think there is some merit in your criticism, it was sort of half decent I thought.

[Heinrich]

On reflection Heinrich, it wasn't as good as last year's performance so I think there is some merit in your criticism, it was sort of half decent I thought.

[didi-5]

Clare Teal surprised me (mainly because I had only heard her before on Radio 2 but never seen her). Caroline O'Connor though murdered The Man That Got Away, possibly because she was trying to channel Ethel Merman rather than Garland!

I enjoyed it though and it is good to see these songs get a prime time airing. Seeing the original films as well would be even better.

[Heinrich]

...
I enjoyed it though and it is good to see these songs get a prime time airing. Seeing the original films as well would be even better.

Indeed; why watch an impersonator when we can watch the original anytime we have a fancy?

[julian_craster]

The concert got off to a poor start with the Fred Astaire medley (I mean Clare Teal as Ginger Rogers, anybody? - I felt really sorry for the male singer who had to look in Clare's eyes and sing 'But you're lovely !...' - some real acting required there... ) but got better as it went on, and the second half was very well done. Clare's Secret Love was excellent...

Old troupers with extensive musical theatre experience (viz Caroline O'Connor) came off best, I thought....