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#1
08-27-2016, 05:45 AM
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The "Proms" -2016
Every Year, the Henry Wood Promenade concerts have been going annually since, I think, 1895.
The moved to the fabulous Albert Hall in 1941 when their previous venue was bombed, and have remained there throughout the rest of WW2, and continue to this day. They are supported heavily by the BBC which broadcasts on radio and HD TV many of the Albert Hall concerts, and also the burgeoning "proms in the Park" concerts put on in London and other cities. I'm not a great follower or expert on classical music, but I find it fascinating to watch the beautifully filmed TV screenings and to watch the many fine musicians working together. It isn't all classical stuff ! One night they featured the music of Quincy Jones, with a full orchestra, a full rhythm section, and many young stars - not previously known to me. Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, and Prokofiev ! They get orchestras from all over the world - recently they had the São Paulo Jazz Symphony orchestra and Jazz Symphony with Marin Alsop playing Brazilian popular music. Many cameras, whirl and fly over the orchestra directed and cut expertly and zoom in to individual musicians (with perhaps a slight bias to eccentric characters and beautiful young women) and also seem to have prior knowledge of who will be the next soloist or important percussionist. As an old guy with some years of arranging the boring minutiae of putting on small gigs (how will we get there. what shall we take, set up, balancing, timing etc.), I wonder at the logistics and organisation of all these fantastic concerts - not to mention the superb sound balancing. (well I just did). Last night I watched the two hour session recorded the night before, and then watched an hour long programme on the evolution of the guitar riff, and then another about the rise of Rock and Roll. "I looked at my watch it was a quarter to three!" (AM!) We are so fortunate to have the BBC!
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom! 
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#2
08-27-2016, 10:30 AM
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As a fan of classical music who gets to see the Proms concerts only rarely when they're broadcast on public television, I've always envied the Brits for the good taste they've shown with these summer concerts. The only thing like it here in the states is when some major symphony orchestra takes up a summer residence in the country, like the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood or the New York Philharmonic at Saratoga. Which means that classical music fans have to take a trip to hear the music they love, rather than having it come to them.
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