The Doctor Who Prom – Inspiring with Music and Monsters

By Chris Billingham 

“When [the Cybermen] come in, you can hear the screams behind me and I do have to just turn round and enjoy it”

Ben Foster, Conductor of the Doctor Who Prom

When the BBC aired the Doctor Who Prom, the opening segment featured conductor Ben Foster, smiling and saying “I keep meeting people outside and they say ‘Oh, I’m learning the violin’ or ‘I’m learning the trombone’, and you think ‘Great, I hope coming to a concert like this will inspire them to want to be in orchestras’”. The montage then cuts to a fan dressed as the 11th Doctor waving a sonic screwdriver (an iconic prop from the series) and exclaiming “Hello! Welcome to the BBC Proms!”. To me, this moment beautifully sums up why proms such as the Doctor Who Prom 2013 are so important. The evening is both a great way to introduce classical music to new audiences (including younger children, importantly) and a celebration of the iconic British television show. While other proms have the same aim (as discussed here, the Urban Classics Prom is another brilliant example of a prom reaching new audiences), what other evening combines monsters and aliens with cheers of delight and shrieks of terror?

Murray Gold, musical director of Doctor Who since its 2005 revival, wrote and composed the majority of the pieces performed. Gold has composed for film, stage and television throughout his long career. With works including the soundtracks to television shows such as Shameless, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and Queer as Folk. His Doctor Who soundtracks have earned him two entries into Classic FM’s Hall of Fame and a number of BAFTA nominations. Regular Doctor Who conductor and arranger Ben Foster, also a multiple BAFTA winner, conducted the London Philharmonic Choir and BBC National Orchestra of Wales, highlighting the strength of the evening’s musicality. Similarly, Gold’s compositions, in particular ‘I Am The Doctor’, ‘The Final Chapter of Amelia Pond’ and ‘The Name of The Doctor’, provoke an emotional connection, causing you to want to both run and be still with your thoughts. The evening also featured works by Debussy, Bach and Bizet as pieces by all three have appeared in the show throughout its history.

Fan site Doctor Who Online described the evening as “a truly fantastic and eternally memorable evening and the perfect way to celebrate The Doctor's half century”, perfectly summing up why the evening is so important for fans. Over the past fifty years, Doctor Who has become an iconic part of British culture and people’s lives. Music exists as a celebration and reflection of culture and emotions, with classical music in particular inspiring passion and grandeur, making it the perfect companion to Doctor Who. The Doctor Who Prom is the perfect way to celebrate this companionship and serve as an introduction to classical music.  

Did you watch the evening? To let us know your thoughts, comment below or join in the discussion on our Facebook and Twitter pages!

For more information Southern Sinfonia and our upcoming concerts, click here.

Image attribution// Doctorwhotv.co.uk 

Has YouTube Changed the Tone of Classical Music?

By James Chater 

It is hard to believe that the phenomenon that is YouTube has only existed for a mere eight years. In that short space of time, it has almost single-handedly revolutionised the way in which people across the planet access video footage, ranging from a montage of the weekend’s Premier League goals, to a toddler who responds animatedly to a Justin Bieber song. Some astonishing statistics published on their website proudly declare that over 6 billion hours of video are watched on YouTube every month, whilst some 100 hours of new footage is uploaded to the site every single minute. YouTube’s influence is unquestionable. But is YouTube’s effect on classical music wholly positive, or could it cause more harm than good?

Recently, I began to learn Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No.14, the “Moonlight Sonata”. Before approaching this instantly recognisable piece, I wanted to listen to a couple of professional recordings to gain insight into how the greatest artists were able to reinvent and rediscover this staple of the pianist’s repertoire. Typing the title into the search bar, a vast array of choices sprawled down the page and continued on for at least another seven. Inattentively, I clicked on the video that had the most views, (52 million of them) and naively expected the recording to be of good quality; however, and unfortunately, I was sorely mistaken.

I do not consider myself a snob when it comes to music, but I challenge anyone with a background in classical music to listen to this recording and find it a musical or even accurate interpretation. The end of nearly every bar line is languidly anticipated by a long rallentando, and instead of the melody in the right hand penetrating through the upper range of the texture, an electronically dubbed voice incessantly wails at the listener. “How can this video have so many hits?” I thought. Whilst I knew this piece was immensely popular, I couldn’t understand why this video was storming past 52 million hits, whereas the stunning interpretation by Wilhelm Kempf, a few options below, had a paltry 5 million. It then dawned on me, suddenly, that I had partly already answered my own question. Although not true of everyone, we live in a time where, for many people, personal opinion is a direct derivative of its public counterpart. Having seen that 52 million other people had watched the video meant that I automatically assumed that it would be of a high musical quality and have something pertinent to offer my own interpretation. I was wrong, but fortunately, I was soon able to find a pianist I admired with a more convincing interpretation.

To classical musicians, YouTube does have advantages yet commensurate disadvantages. It is both exciting that someone can upload a Beethoven Piano Sonata for free, but simultaneously worrying that it could be electronically created and therefore musically inaccurate. This example highlights an unpleasant paradox for the classical musician. Should we be concerned that the recording of this incredible piece that has received the most views is an appalling example, or should we be happy to be reconciled to the fact that such a large number of people have been exposed to this piece, regardless of the form it takes?

One of the biggest problems that YouTube poses to classical music, especially in relation to pieces such as the Moonlight Sonata, is that it could limit one of the greatest assets that classical music can offer; the ability for different interpretation. If everyone has been exposed to a single recording of a piece, it reduces the scope for critical discussion, debate and analysis of music, something that ultimately is crucial to each musician who wishes to better their understanding and appreciation of this art form.

However, I do believe that YouTube offers classical music a platform that is unrivalled in its ability to be accessed by the widest demographic possible, and is a tool that we should not resist but utilise in order to extend the reach of classical music. It is easy to forget that YouTube is still so young that it is impossible to analyse completely the effect that it can exert over any art form. After all, who knows how many unknowing first-time listeners of Beethoven were so enthralled by this recording that they excitedly clicked onto “Further suggestions”?

We would love to hear your thoughts on YouTube and classical music. Comment below or join in the discussion on our Facebook and Twitter pages. To learn more about Southern Sinfonia through YouTube, click here. 

Last Night of the Proms - Innovative and Exciting

By Julia Hudson

Balloons, Aston Villa, £1 million of sparkling Chopard diamonds and a lot of queuing – as usual, the Last Night of the Proms was a spectacle, and one which hundreds of people had waited through a rainy September night and day to see. We were also witnessing history in the making, with Marin Alsop, the Proms’ first female conductor, taking to the podium for a varied night of music making. The programme looked back at the many composer anniversaries celebrated this season: Verdi, Britten and of course Wagner were all revisited, and Nigel Kennedy and especially Joyce DiDonato provided real ‘star quality’ (Ivan Hewett). Particular highlights for this very fortunate audience member were Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, with a beautiful counter-tenor solo from Iestyn Davies, and Britten’s unusually poignant arrangement of the National Anthem.

Jacob Banks at the Urban Classic Prom

Looking back a few weeks, though, was a very different evening; the Urban Classics prom, which I was entirely convinced I would detest and utterly loved. The reassuring number of regular prommers and their ‘sensible shoes’, as remarked on by Alsop at the Last Night, mingled with Laura Mvula supporters and sky-high stilettos. By the end of the concert, to the tune of ‘One Love’ by Bob Marley, beautifully arranged and directed by Jules Buckley, classical and urban fans alike were swaying with hands and mobiles in the air (backstage, a senior BBC-er was thrilled that he had learned how to work his iPhone light). BBC Three’s coverage attempted to paint the evening as a controversial “culture clash”, for the purposes of good TV – but every single musician treated the venue, festival and institution with tremendous respect, excitement and, sensibly, a little bit of terror.

There were, of course, countless other season highlights; more than 300,000 people attended the concerts this year, with 57 out of 75 concerts sold out. It is easy to remember the ‘out-of-the-ordinary’ proms like the Urban Classic and the Doctor Who, but sometimes it is the simplicity of the Tallis Scholars’ late-night offering, with a rapt audience at nearly midnight, or the stunningly vivid Pictures at an Exhibition from the London Symphony Orchestra under Gergiev. No summary would be complete without recalling the epic tribute to Wagner, especially Barenboim’s Ring cycle, where he praised the audience saying “the communion between musicians and public depends not only on us but also on you, and you have brought so much silence”. This rapturous silence, with hundreds of people standing stock still, was never felt more keenly than at the Last Night – one minute, loud cheers and enormous balloons were ricocheting off audience members’ heads; the next, absolute concentration as the solo violin sound soared upwards.

In July, Manchester International Festival programmed music from both the Halle Orchestra and Goldfrapp. Alex Poots, the festival’s artistic director and CEO, said: “It’s not helpful to have divisions between the art forms; it’s a remnant of the old class system.” The Guardian suggests that the Last Night still falls prey to its “imperialist-era ruts”; but Poots disagrees, aware that creative programming “inevitably straddles a wide range of creativity, across art forms and different styles, and the spaces between them.” This, combined with the “quality of listening” remarked on by Director Roger Wright and the very celebratory nature of the Proms itself, makes it, in Alsop’s words, the "ultimate showcase for great artistry and superb audiences".

Patriotism and pride at the Last Night

To find out what Southern Sinfonia Patron Sir Roger Norrington had to say about conducting the Last Night of the Proms in 2008, click here for our exclusive interview. What did you think of this year’s event? Comment below to leave your thoughts on join in the discussion on our Facebook and Twitter pages!

Sir Roger Norrington talks about the “number one gig in the world”

By Chris Billingham

Tomorrow evening will see the Royal Albert Hall fill with excitement and anticipation as some of the world’s finest classical musicians perform at the Last Night of the Proms, the conclusion to 2013’s BBC Proms. Marin Alsop will direct an evening beginning with a celebratory new work by Anna Clyne, going on to include a rare performance of Britten’s 1967 overture for chorus and orchestra ‘The Building of the House’ and of course concluding with the traditional and much-loved classics, including ‘Land of Hope and Glory’.

Southern Sinfonia’s Patron, Sir Roger Norrington, conducted the Last Night of the Proms in 2008. In an exclusive interview, he describes the event as “the number one gig in the world”, stating that it is exciting that it means “so many things to so many people”.

When asked about particular memories and highlights of the 2008 event, Sir Roger said that “conducting ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ was a wonderful feeling. Between those in the Royal Albert Hall, the thousands of people in the park and everyone watching worldwide – it’s the definitely the biggest choir I’ll ever have!”

As well as leading from the podium, it will also be Marin Alsop’s responsibility to deliver the traditional ‘Last Night’ speech. When asked about his speaking duties, Sir Roger talked about how “nerve making” this particular section of the evening was. He explained: “it’s a big responsibility as you have to thank everyone for the whole of the Proms, the greatest music festival in the world”.

What is it that makes the festival so special? For Sir Roger it is largely about “the warmth of feeling coming off the audience, like an electric fire. They really are one of the best audiences in the world”. With this level of support from the crowd, Marin Alsop is sure to have a spectacular evening.

However, it has not come without its controversy, and tomorrow night will see history in the making as Alsop becomes the Last Night’s first female conductor. This been discussed in the press at great length, with musicians as varied as mezzo soprano Sarah Connolly and conductor Vasily Petrenko weighing in on the debate. However, Sir Roger says: “I think it’s great that a woman is conducting. She is a very good conductor and I will be watching with interest and enjoyment”.

And that is surely all that matters, the excitement and buzz that tomorrow’s event, and indeed the whole of the Proms, creates.

A member of our team is lucky enough to be attending tomorrow; look out for what she has to say about the evening very soon on our blog. Have you managed to get a ticket? What has been your Proms 2013 highlight? Southern Sinfonia loved the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of American Prom (Pictured Left).

Comment below to leave your thoughts or join in the discussions on our blog, Facebook and Twitter pages!