Wednesday 20 May 2009

The Classical Brit Awards


I stayed up later than usual last night to watch the Clasical Brit Awards, which were hosted by Mylene Klass. Despite her recent exposure on Radio & Tv she seems to have kept her "girl next door" image, and has none of the inflated ego which some of our so called Radio & Tv presenters suffer from!

The programme opened with 13 years old Faryl Smith singing "River of Life" which has words set to a Strauss Waltz. Her debut CD "Faryl" sits at the top of the classical charts, and has been one of the success stories of classical music. This is the first debut CD to go straight to the top of the classical charts and stay there.

Katherine Jenkins (the Welsh Mezzo Soprano) [who I recently had as a guest at a wedding I played] joined Placido Domingo in a duet, and later sang a solo. I found her to be a very natural person, with no over inflated ego, or airs and graces.

Possibly one of the highlights for me was the singing of the German Tenor Jonas Kaufmann. Another was the performance of the Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue by two pianists, Lang Lang and Herbie Hancock. The contrast in their styles of playing could not have been more pronounced. Lang Lang gave a very dramatic performance, with much arm waving and similar gestures, whislt Herbie Hancock's performance was altogether more laid back and relaxed.

Alison Balsom performed the Rondo from the Haydn Trumpet Concerto with great gusto and aplomb, and also quite deservedly collected the Female Artist of the Year Award.

The composer of the Year Award went to Howard Goodall, who, you may recall, composed the theme tune to the BBC TV Series "The Vicar of Dibley" [The Lord is my Shepherd - a piece I performed last week at a concert with my Male Voice Choir.]

Unlike most of the Pop music programmes the Brit Awards did not rely on what I can only call "Son et Luniere" effects. I don't recall any fireworks exploding, or strobe lights flashing during the programme. Something which happens all too frequently in the so called "Talent Shows". If the standard of the music and the performance were up to scratch there would be no need to distract our ears with pyrotechnics! I always thought music was an aural art. Something which primarily involved the use of ones ears. I really feel there is no need for all the visual effects which are foisted on us!

Why is it that the TV programmers schedule such a quality programme so late at night? Is it that a high standard of performance and musical ability are frowned on by the TV establishment?

1 comment:

  1. you need to get sky tv!!! then you could have recorded it, and watched it at a later time to suit, and fast forward through the ads!!!!!!

    Your eldest daughter !!!xxxx

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