Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,302
14 September 2008
13:216084Well, that's it then! The Last Night of the Proms has always meant the end of summer for me. In my youth it coincided as it does now with a return to school. I remember the days of "Flash Harry", so stern in his conducting but with a dry wit in his speech at the end.
We are these days blessed with high quality colour pictures and stereo sound (HiDef and 5.1 if you can afford it) but years ago it was a washy, grainy black and white picture and mediocre sound but it was magic! Technology has given us (almost) everything we want to see and hear in the glory of what is the foremost music festival in the world. But have the Beeb got it right?
About 25 years or so ago we were sailing along quite nicely. We'd got a nice colour set,. No Nicam stereo then but oh the joys of Radio 3FM. That was when it all started to fall apart. In a effort to "popularise" an already popular event, the last night was shifted to BBC1 and Radio 2. The compressed sound was awful, just like Classic FM is today and the pictures suffered annoying split screen and jerky camera movements. They saw the error of their ways and the following year it was back to normal.
One change however lasts until today. Throughout the season Radio 3 announcers and others who know what they are talking about like Charles Hazelwood present the programmes. On the last night however a "celebrity" is brought in, this year it was Clive Anderson. His inane comments almost ruined the whole evening. Still, I suppose it was better than that other moron from years past Peter Titchmarsh who should have been left to rot in the potting shed.
Having the red button I got fed up with the first half and watched instead the live party in Belfast, excellent stuff.
Rant over,
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
14 September 2008
18:096094Very interesting post Terry. Yes the last night of the proms has always been around or so it seems and of course I myself didnt realise the difference in broadcasting quality. It's almost a rarity nowadays an event like this, it being so very peculiarly English and because of that its a wonder some bright spark hasnt come up with the idea of knocking it on the head, as we are all so multicultural and multi-ethnic these days. Surely it must be offending somebodies sensibilities some where.
I wonder what the viewing figures are like nowadays in comparison to the grand days of yore. Does it still have relevance with the young...
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
14 September 2008
19:536100i enjoyed it, used the red button to switch to different venues, when they reverted to prats in the studio trying
to sound important.
such a pity that cwm rhondda, land of hope and glory and the scottish thing were all done at the same time.
they could have spread them over 10 or 15 minutes, so that we could all have benefited.
incidentally, as an addendum to paul's comment, during the singing of rule britannia, i spotted flags from germany, india, the usa and france, all waving away.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
14 September 2008
20:356102I didnt see to but I do have a few favourites on my ipod. so while working tomorrow I will listen to a few patriotic melodies, such as:
Pomp & circumstance
Orb & Sceptre
Rule Britannia
Fanfare for the Common Man
and more from the Massed Band of the Brigade of Guards and the greatest of all, The Royal Marines band.
Thats as soon as Today finishes, I will have the ipod on with some truly great music.... in just the right mood for that.
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
14 September 2008
23:186103All good choices Barry and I am Sure that Aaron Copland (1900 - 1990), the American composer of Appalachian Spring, Billy the Kid and Fanfare for the Common Man, would have been delighted to think he had written a patriotic British tune.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
15 September 2008
06:556105Indeed Chris, Lets face it, BlueBirds over the White Cliffs of Dover was written by an American. Regardless of who wrote the tunes they still all set the pulse racing......
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,018
15 September 2008
09:306111Agree with you Terry that Clive Anderson was very pompous and ruined the event .Alan Titmatch was the same .Bring back the likes of the Dimbleys etc .Still the music was good .I hope Clive Anderson got a right ticking off.
15 September 2008
19:376132Alan Titmatch and the Dimbleys sounds like a new kids programme
15 September 2008
20:146133Dimbleby and Titchmarsh, ace detectives..........
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
15 September 2008
22:136141is that the programme that dawn french was in?
i never got into it, do not have widescreen television.
16 September 2008
07:046149Howard, don't p*** off big women - you have no idea of the dangers involved......
16 September 2008
07:046151Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
16 September 2008
07:266154Now now Bern no bullying.Howard is only a little chap.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
16 September 2008
09:286159No widescreen tv howard? So you have 'narrow vision' that explains a lot
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
16 September 2008
19:186191bern
you don't know where i live, do you????????
barry
it is true that i have narrow vision, unlike yourself though, no tunnel vision.
16 September 2008
19:326204
