| Subject: The Last Night from a Different Point of View |
Author:
John Underwood
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Date Posted: 17:01:36 17/09/2002
After Mass on Sunday morning the organist said: "What are you doing here? I looked for you on television last night and couldn't find you." Actually, he said it in German because that is what they speak where we were. (I recognised four Germans in the front row of the arena.)
From such a position, so far from the area I have occupied for the Last Night in recent years, it was possible to see some things exactly the same as I'd have seen them had I been able to be present.
The first half was not broadcast on German television - or on any other channel to which we had access. We did, however, have a DSL Internet connection. This enabled us to watch the event on a 4" screen - any larger and it just became pixely. At best we got a transmission rate of 60kb/s but it was usually much lower - often as low as 15. (Incidentally, the best period was during the new piece - was that a coincidence or did people stop watching the webcast then?)
Most of the time there was a delay of at least three seconds between the sound and the vision. That reached an absurd level when the sound of the applause for the piano concerto died at about the same time as we saw the pianist stand for his bow. (TV Licensing believe that as we do not have a licence at home we need to buy a full one for the privilege of watching the few programmes they provide in this way and quality. It is, of course, completely legal to watch it in Germany without paying a penny.)
After the first half ended, we went to the living room and turned the TV over to Nord Drei which had just started to show a 30 minute documentary about the Proms. (Yet they do, usually, manage to run the trains on time). They show this every year, it was made (in English and dubbed) in 1994 and featured an interview with John Drummond in which he said that the Proms would remain the same as long as he was in charge.
The documentary was interrupted, at a not particularly appropriate point, to go over to the end of the chaplet ceremony and the sight of two Promenaders disappearing (with no explanation of what they had done).
As a kid I watched the Last Night and was rather surprised in recent years and, particularly, when I started attending in person, to find that the tradition had been altered, so replacing the march in its traditional spot was, if anything, a positive step (though I still have worries about the motivation of those responsible for such decisions).
I did look forward to the Bugle calls promised in the programme revision. However, I realise that it was just the same bastardisation of the Wood Fantasy as we have suffered for years. Now, though, it must be entitled .... rearranged Kenyon (et al) because it is grossly unfair to blame Henry Wood (whose Proms they are) for the disturbing change of key after the insertion.
Slatkin did well, particularly at what he always does well - talking. From our vantage point the conducting seemed alright, but then it wasn't very demanding - pity about some of the other concerts he attended. I was, however, impressed by his participation in Auld Lang Syne - particularly as the sound had gone before then and as soon as he appeared, the BBC had to acknowledge what was going on.
I do know one thing after this season. I really look forward to Nicholas Kenyon receiving his due reward, or at least a knighthood and soon. (Of course, having gone some way down the path of the anti-establishment/nationalism/royalty, he is duty bound to refuse the gong.)
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