Catch the John Wilson Orchestra’s amazing Prom on the BBC i-Player

1 year
1 month ago

If you didn’t attend the John Wilson Orchestra’s concert that opened the HSBC Cheltenham Music Festival, and if you weren’t able to catch their Prom in the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday night, you still have a chance to hear and see this wonderful orchestra in action.

Music Festival Director Meurig Bowen was at the concert on Saturday night. ‘Having enjoyed so much their concert for us in Cheltenham on Friday 3 July, I just had to hear them again, and soon! Fortunately, I picked up some returns — this Prom had sold-out well in advance — and it really was one of the most unforgettable concerts I’ve ever experienced.’

The Prom performance was a ‘Celebration of Classic MGM Film Musicals’, featuring gorgeous, show-stopping music from The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St Louis, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, High Society, Gigi, Singin’ in the Rain and more.

‘The line-up of players that John got together for Cheltenham was pretty astonishing,’ Meurig continues: ‘Top-notch players from symphony orchestras and big bands around the country. But the Proms line-up was even-more richly endowed by the cream of British orchestral playing. With principal players from the country’s top orchestras populating the rank-and-file slots, it was the musical equivalent of a cricket world-eleven. Unbelievable playing. And the singing was wonderful too — from the sumptuous Sarah Fox and seasoned Sir Thomas Allen to cool crooning of Curtis Stigers and Seth MacFarlane. And the simply imcomparable Kim Criswell.’

BBC i-Player listen again →
view the broadcasts of this concert by BBC2 and Radio 3

…and read Edward Seckerson’s five star review in the Independent.

We’ve tagged this post with Meurig Bowen, music, review, The Independent, video on Monday 3 August 2009.