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Written by Countess du Ruel
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Monday, 18 August 2008 00:00 |
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I'm told by those in the know that there may be a row over the usual rousing last night at the Proms. Countess du Ruel continues, ‘We all love the traditional sing-along that accompanies ‘Land of Hope and Glory' at the climax of the BBC Proms. I'm one of the millions who love this show piece. Also, I'm of the opinion, if it isn't broken, don't fix it.
However, there's always someone wanting to change a good thing. For the first time in its 113-year history the Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 (better known as Land of Hope and Glory) will be played without vibrato, which means it will have an unfamiliar icy tone. This is if Sir Roger Norrington, a leading conductor, has his way.
Norrington insists that vibrato is a modern invention introduced at the beginning of the 20c, and that the piece should be played as the composer intended...without it. This he calls a ‘fresh' approach, but other composers call it ‘disgusting.' He may end up alienating the audience and making Elgar's most patriotic of pieces sound like a bad amateur performance. Only time will tell.
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