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Helen May
Joined: 10 Dec 2006
Posts: 19291
Location: Cheshire
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 Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 9:18 pm Post subject: Swingin' Christmas, John Wilson Orchestra BBC2 Christmas Day |
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I really enjoyed his prom this summer with the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein so a heads up for anyone who is interested.
It's 9.20 BBC 2 and introduced by Michael Parkinson.
H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!
I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005 |
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iwarburton
Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 2133
Location: Northumberland
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| Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 4:48 pm Post subject: |
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Forgot about this on the day but it's on again on New Year's Eve on, I think, BBC4.
Ian. |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 7646
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| Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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I have to say I was really underwhelmed.
(I watched it with mum and mum-in-law and they were similarly unimpressed)
This is a concert orchestra which plays music from the swing, jazz and big band repertoire. It is not a swing, jazz or big band.
I know that the bands of the 30s, 40s and 50s were tightly disciplined, but they did manage to look and sound as if they were enjoying themselves. This lot look and sound like a (very large) bunch of stuffed shirts, with a director/conductor whose over-elaborate conducting looks ridiculous.
The soloists sounded very lightweight (and whoever was responsible for sound production didn't do them any favours).
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John W
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 3367
Location: Warwickshire, UK
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| Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 9:54 pm Post subject: |
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Have to agree with RockitRon that the John Wilson Orchestra is a concert orchestra which can play music from the swing, jazz and big band repertoire.
As a concert orchestra they are good at what they do, though I'm told their numbers are often augmented by jazz and or classical players when appropriate for certain performances and recordings.
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John W |
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Helen May
Joined: 10 Dec 2006
Posts: 19291
Location: Cheshire
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:54 am Post subject: |
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| RockitRon wrote: |
This is a concert orchestra which plays music from the swing, jazz and big band repertoire. It is not a swing, jazz or big band.
The soloists sounded very lightweight (and whoever was responsible for sound production didn't do them any favours). |
I don't think I said it was a swing, jazz or big band Ron?
I've only watched about half of it (had visitors who didn't seem interested so, I saved it for my ears and eyes only) but enjoyed what I've seen and heard. The orchestra was what I expected though.
The soloists were not that good IMHO, but I didn't think they were on the MGM Prom either. The Rogers and Hammerstein prom had different singers apart from Jane Casey who was better on that occasion.
H
_________________
88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!
I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005 |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 7646
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Helen May wrote: | | RockitRon wrote: |
This is a concert orchestra which plays music from the swing, jazz and big band repertoire. It is not a swing, jazz or big band.
The soloists sounded very lightweight (and whoever was responsible for sound production didn't do them any favours). |
I don't think I said it was a swing, jazz or big band Ron?
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No, you didn't H  .
The inference from the title Swingin' Christmas, the pre-publicity and interview with Michael Parkinson that I read led me to expect something closer to the big band and swing music which he used to play on Sundays.
It was churlish of me to be critical. I should have been really happy to have managed to watch something half cheerful on Christmas Day evening.
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Helen May
Joined: 10 Dec 2006
Posts: 19291
Location: Cheshire
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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No problem Ron.
Just watched the last part of it, I prefer the orchestra on its own.
H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!
I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005 |
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FleetingEileenM
Joined: 30 Mar 2010
Posts: 5742
Location: Hampshire
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| Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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Well I thoroughly enjoyed it and, like Helen, I preferred the orchestra on its own. It had some great musicians, some of whom I have seen many times in other big bands.
I shall be watching again on New Year's Eve on BBC4 and it is followed by a repeat of “The Swing Thing” which I recorded some months ago and which got deleted by mistake.
Happily, wallowing in all that lovely music, I shall celebrate the New Year by ignoring it. |
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