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beckymonsterI can't promise that this is going to be a full and comprehensive review of said prom. Just my thoughts and impressions, such as they are.
So with that caveat - Allons-y!
For those of you who don't want to wade through screeds and screeds of me waffling away - the really, really short review:
In the words of Nine - it was FANTASTIC!
For those of you wanting something a little more... indepth...
Before I begin, I want to register the only grumble I have about the prom. Whomever had the 'good' idea to schedule the performance at 11am on a Sunday morning? should be taken out and shot. Or at very least headslapped with extreme prejudice.
I didn't get home until 1am and getting up at 6.50 am, so I could leave the house to make the train for London and the connection across town to South Kensington. Does not make for a happy monster. Even when there is bloody good music at the other end.
Which is the only complaint I have to make on the whole day.
As for the rest of the experience - 'Capslock of Squee' will give you an idea of how wonderful it all was.
So yes, six hours sleep before I dragged my sorry arse out of bed and into clothes and the car to take me to the rail station. For a Sunday it was an uneventful journey - hell even the Circle Line was co-operating, albeit three-quarters of it were. No surprise there then!
For the confused - some background... Ahem!
The BBC Proms - Wikipedia
The fact that a prom was dedicated to the music of Doctor Who is something that is a *tad* out of the ordinary. Bit like... I don't know, the Metropolitan Opera putting on a Star Wars concert, or to be more surreal, Klingon Opera. The 'traditionalists' will sputter and fume of course, but if it's meant to get people who'd never attend a Prom before (or even considered it) to go then... it worked like a charm.
I'd say that the audience was about 1/3 kids and 75% 'normals'. i.e. people who I would not consider to be fans like most people who'll be reading this blog entry. The people who the show is aimed at (I had to point that out - no frakking apologies!)
The whole event was a first for me. I like classical music - same as I like most forms of music. Adore soundtracks more than anything else but I have my favourite pieces - most of which are ballets but that's by the by.
What I am trying to say is that although I've considered going to the Proms before, before this, I've never been. I've been to the Royal Albert Hall to see a ballet (Romeo and Juliet in 2001) but not to a Prom.
So, after I arrived at South Kensington, I took some time to get my bearings and more importantly have a cup of tea (and a rather nice chocolate muffin). Given that the weather was just glorious (for once) Hello thar Summer - we've been expecting you! - I sat on the steps of the Albert Monument, in Hyde Park, took photos, drank my tea, demolished my muffin and chatted to two other ladies who were there for the Prom as well. Mainly sitting there, looking across the road at the Albert Hall and the hundreds of people milling around the huge hall.
The Royal Albert Hall as seen from the Albert Monument
The Albert Monument from the rather comfortable steps!
So with about thirty minutes before showtime, I crossed the road and joined the queue to take my seat and all of that. Lots of people milling around and a good oppurtunity to people watch. Everyone was lively and good natured. Most often asked question had to be "Is this the right queue for door X?" and "where did you get that programme?!" (the programme was in the shape of a TARDIS - yes, I brought at least one)
Three things instantly struck me as I walked into the auditorium:
i) Bloody Hell - I'm about ten foot from the stage If you look at a photo of the interior of the Albert Hall, you'll notice that there is the stage, then you have the pit and then the tiers of seats around the edge. I was in the third row from the pit, about ten foot from the stage. Could not have asked for a better seat. Or I could have but I'll get to that in a mo;)
ii) They has a TARDIS on the stage (and 'Bad Wolf' graffitied on the corrugated iron panels right by the orchestra/choir)
iii) The ambient sound to be heard as I walked in... the 'heartbeat' of the TARDIS. That beautiful 'purring' sound when she's at rest and the Doctor is just toodling around (as he does), that sound. Just awesome.
So, sat there, chatting two three very nice guys who had come all the way from Bristol (which is as far west as you can get without ending up in Wales) to see both Kylie (Astrid Peth) in concert the night before and the Who prom - needless to say they were all running on adrenaline. Yes, I am a lightweight - I know this, let us continue.
Then as if by magic - an Ood appeared on the stairs. I think in reality it was the actor trying to figure out how to get up and down. He couldn't have been more than six feet away from where I was sitting... so yeah, I took a photo of him. *is sheepish* I am aware about no cameras but as the performance hadn't started I took a liberty. I also took a photo of the TARDIS as well but that came out... *weird*.
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Photo of a 'materializing' TARDIS on a variation of Surrealism
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An Ood at the Albert Hall? How... peculiar!
At 11am, Ben Foster, looking rather dapper in black shirt and black trousers took his place in front of the orchestra to applause from the audience. If you've never seen a picture of this guy - he is a cutie. Tall, slim and very easy on the eyes. Also able to silence a huge auditorium full of people (I think the only time it gets more packed out is the Last Night of the Proms, though I don't think that the conductors can shut the audience up so fast. Seriously, you could have heard a pin drop.
Instead, the soloist Melanie Pappenheim stood up and sang the The Doctor's Theme as a prologue to the concert.
Now, I've always found that to be a beautiful, haunting melody but heard live? Hairs standing on the back of the neck time!
That was followed by Stephen Bell coming out to conduct Copelands Fanfare for the Common Man. Which really needs no introduction. You've more than likely to have heard it and again - it is something else when heard live. Cue applause form the audience...
Which turned into a roar of welcome as Freema Agyeman walked on stage, looking hotter than hell (beautiful flowing black number off the shoulder, hemmed with sequins). If she sounded a little 'shaky', so would you if you'd walked out into a huge auditorium of filled with people who were there because they loved the show you were on! It must have been one hell of a moment.
She introduced the proms proper as the First Doctor Who Prom - which if there are more, I'm going and I think my sister and her godson/honorary nephew (he's about 6 years old and is *obsessed* by Who) will be coming with me. Along with nearly everyone else who loves Who and can be in London on that date;)
Next up - All The Strange, Strange Creatures from the Series 3 soundtrack. If you saw the Red Button trailer from Season 3 - this is the peice of music that accompanied that - the 'running' music. If you heard the performance via Radio 3 or the iPlayer and wondered why the audience suddenly started cheering for no apparent reason... I'll explain all:
I was sitting there, listening and loving the piece (It's one of my favourite pieces fom the series), watching the orchestra and looking at the huge TV screens dotted around. Said TVs were showing clips of all the monsters that have populated the show. There was the transformed Prof Lazarus ('The Lazarus Experiment'), The Family of Blood doing that weird head-tilt they did ('Human Nature/The Family of Blood') and ...
ZOMG IT'S A JUDOON WALKING DOWN THE STAIRS!!! Look over to the opposite side of the auditorium and there's another one and he's not got his helmet on!! Look to the right and there are some Cybermen stomping down the stairs! And the Ood too. How awesome?!
Now, these were the real deal. Not phony costumes - these were the real costumes from the show, resplete with the full, very professional make up - looking exactly the way they do on telly. Which from about five seats away is something else!Oh and the Judoon who came down my row even had the Human detector as he stamped some little boy a row ahead of me - awwww, bless!
Did I mention the Sontarans? They turned up too and tried to do the 'Sontar-HA!' haka (it is a bloody haka - try and argue it otherwise!) but weren't co-ordinated enough. The Cybermen were bloody scary as they 'invaded' the pit. because they had the walk down pat. Compare the march of the new school Cybermen to the old school and you'll see what I mean.
So that is why there are strange cheering sounds on the broadcast:) The commentator mentions it but I thought I'd better point that out to you all.
Next up, Freema introduced the next two pieces (I could be wrong) which were both related to The Planets suite by Holst (which is, conicidentally, also playing at the Proms in September - for which I have a ticket. I very much doubt I'll have such a good seat next time).
The first piece was a UK premiere; called The Torino Scale. Takes it's name from the scientific measurements of the likelyhood of an asteroid hitting the Earth. Learn something new every day! Best way of describing it to someone who hasn't heard it before? A peice for orchestra and klaxon and supporters rattle. Very much of the 'boom, crash, bang!' school of music.
That was followed up by Jupiter, Bringer of Jollity from The Planets Suite. I think this is a beautiful peice of music anyway - not just because part of it is incorporated into the hymn Jerusalem, which is often sung at England Rugby Union matches.
Though after watching this performance, one has to wonder whether it is actually part of the Song of the Ood. Why? because as the orchestra were playing, three Ood came down the stairs and went into the central pit. Just as the music that makes up Jerusalem was playing, they raised their hands up as if they were singing. Who knew that the Ood supported the England Team (*g*). Though I am sure that Flower of Scotland, Land of my Fathers and the Soldier's Song are all in there too.
I forgot to mention - the composer of The Torino Scale was in the audiene, looking as pleased as punch. Which is hardly a surprise as being able to see your piece played by such an orchestra to so many people in a place such as the Royal Albert Hall... career pinnacle stuff.
Freema came onto introduce the next three pieces - The Doctor Forever, Rose and Martha versus the Master. The one that stuck out the most with me was Rose because the first part was her decision to travel with the Doctor. Yes, I miss Nine and I am not ashamed to admit it. I love Ten but... Nine brought me back to Who. He was wonderful, smart, snarky, funny, broken and beautiful. I wish we had more time with him but.... alas. One thought I had throughout was 'I must watch the series from the beginning again!' just to remind myself that desipte all the whining from 'various' corners of fandom - this is a remarkable, wonderful show.
Freema returned to state that she wasn't biased in thinking that Martha versus the Master was the best peice of those three;). She went on to introduce the (so-called) Promisode by noting that this year is the 50th anniversary of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. You may never have heard of them but if you've seen any old school Who, you'll know their work. Without them, old school Who would never have sounded half as good.
I've read some bitching and whining about said Promisode - all I can say is that most of the people didn't see it in context. I did and it was, to quote Ten, brilliant.
Yes, it was a bit pantomime in some places - such as when the Doctor pushes his Ode to the Universe through the portal - papers shot out of the TARDIS all over the orchestra, who proceeded to pass it around themselves. Good sports, the lot of them:D Shame to say that what might sound beautiful to Gallifreyan ears didn't pass this human's ears.
As for the Graske - he had a run in with a cellist, which was amusing. As was the Old School shout out - reversing the polarity;)
As for the whole 'everyone can make music' stuff that seems to be coming in for some stick. Everyone can - nothing is said about it being *good* - it's all about creating *something* that you feel good about creating and want to share. After all, isn't that what fandom is partly about?!
Oh and if you listen carefully to the title music... Old School FTW! Someone will be able to pinpoint which series it's from, I can tell you that for nowt!
Interval time, which involved a rather interesting piece on Radio 3 about the appeal of the Doctor and how it's changed over the years. Certainly food for thought. (I listened to the concert via the BBC iPlayer, so I heard it, if you can track it down, you may want to listen.)
Once the Orchestra (and everyone else) had either a nice cup of tea or an ice cream - it was back for more.
The second half/act began with Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries.
If that doesn't sound familiar then try...
Or quoting Apocaplyse Now (you *know* the quote I mean!).
I swear that I didn't 'say' or sing anything - though it was tempting. One thing to look out for, when they show this on TV... Look at the French Horn section of the orchestra. They're right at the back, near the choir. Most amusing.
This was back announced by Noel Clarke and Camille Coduri (Mickey Smith and Jackie Tyler, Rose's mum). Being shallow for a moment - Noel looked rather hot - black shirt and black suit is one look that suits practically any bloke (not to mention makes them look rather dapper). Camille was wearing a very beautiful dark purple, draped, jersey cocktail dress. Yes, there was a crack about comparing The Ring Cycle to the finale of Season 4, which you can't blame them for.
I am sure that more would have been said, but the Daleks decided that was a good time to invade the Albert Hall. Yes, that takes the buscuit for the most surreal thing I've written all year... but it's true! They did! Not to mention that Davros himself turned up to listen to his music and declare us all his slaves, roundly getting booed in the process. We humans won't give up without a fight;)
On a more 'mundane' note - according to the programme, yes, that was Julian Bleach under all that make up and yes, that was Nicholas Briggs as the Dalek voices. Poor Ben Foster getting bossed around by a Dalek - it shouldn't happen to a conductor.
Needless to say it was a fantastic peice and the music was just glorious. The Davros stuff was showing to the images from the scene in The Stolen Earth where the Daleks communicate their 'intentions' to Planet Earth, the heartbreaker where Sarah Jane and Jack know *exactly* what they are hearing and kiss the ones they love... Yes, that scene was in there in it's complete form. I don't think anyone really noticed as they were all busy gawping at Davros - which you can hardly blame them for!
I am hoping that this might find it's full version in the next soundtrack because it is a magnificent peice ranging from Parting of the Ways to Journey's End.
The next announcer was a complete surprise. Catherine Tate came out to possibly the loudest cheer of the entire concert. Which is quite a feat, because instead of a roar of approval, she got a ROAR OF GLEE from the audience. Which didn't help her hangover one iota - oh dear.
She introduced the next three segments, stating that we should remember Donna's time with the Doctor as Donna couldn't.
I'll hold my hands up and say that I wasn't the greatest fan of Donna at the start but when they showed the montage of her 'departure', it bloody hurt. She was fantastic and she will be missed... unless Mr Moffat can change history?!
The next three pieces Donna, The Girl in the Fireplace and Astrid were all very good - GitF is very reminicent of the magnificent Madame De Pompadour (which I adore). The stuff for Astrid included a clip of the scene that I saw (technically!) in Cardiff last year - in August, yes, it was damn confusing!
Moving swiftly on, back to the 'classic' classical music with Prokofiev's Montagues and Capulets which has been used time and again in modern culture - most recently for the TV show The Apprentice
It was as this point, I think, that Murray Gold came onstage to play keyboards for some of his work. I had a suspicion that he would be present, because it is very rare for a living composer to have a Prom (pretty much) dedicated to their work - he was very dapper in a cream suit with the biggest grin on his face. Not that he could be blamed;)
Next up two of my favorite pieces - This is Gallifrey and Doomsday. Both are wonderful on CD but live they are just magical. Especially when you get to see the visuals that go with them. Did Gallifrey ever look so beautiful?
As for Doomsday - I can't speak for anyone else but there were tears in my eyes - big softie, no frakking apologies - but it was fantastic all over again. Alas, it didn't merge into The Last Dalek like it does in the show but it was still magificent and beautiful and heartbreaking.
(Nearly at the end - thank the 'verse - written over 3,000 words here!) Freema returned to mention her favourite moment from S4 filming - that utterly wonderful scene from Journey's End where the Doctor's 'family' help him steer the TARDIS towing Earth home. I know a lot of people deride that scene but for me - it is the epitome of why I love Doctor Who so much - the joy and love and wonder and... yeah.
If you can't see that - then I feel sorry for you. If you're wondering the music that accompanies that scene was played next, complete with exploding streamers (that's the sound you hear - in line with the scene of fireworks on Earth). I can't speak for anyone else but I jumped;)
The segment starts with The Doctor's Theme but the piece de resistance of the whole event - the afore mentioned section from Journey's end - was certainly Song of Freedom - it's no lie when I say I felt as if I was going to pull a muscle from grinning so much at that fantastic piece. I am hoping against hope that this is on the next soundtrack as I *need* it in my life - yesterday! Preferably without the pyrotechnics but I am not proud;)
Following that was Song for Ten from The Christmas Invasion which was quite good and finally, of course, *that* theme tune, which I have to say sounded better on the radio than it did live - they used the rocky version from S4 - not the awesomesauce version from S1-3.
The next stuff, you'll hopefully see when they broadcast this on TV. There was much clapping and applauding - of the conductors who did an awesome job. Of Murray Gold who has done a fantastic job of creating the music and of a certain gentleman who was sitting in the balcony pretty much directly above me. Mr Russell T. Davis - accompanied, so it would seem by a Mr P. Davison (okay, I geeked out over that - Five was my *first* doctor!.)
Some will sneer that RTD was there to lap up th praise - bullsh*t. I got the impression (as I noted he was there earlier - I just couldn't remember where for the benefits of this report) that he was here to enjoy the music as much as the other 1399 people in attendance.
Yes, without him the whole shebang would have been for naught but even if someone else had pulled off the miracle he did, because it was. To take a dead TV show that had decended into a laughing stock by the time that it had been pulled off the air.... and re-invent it for a *family* audience and make it more successful than it had ever been in it's heyday - could Joss Whedon or anyone else do that? I *don't* think so!.
So if the audience applauded him as well - more power to his elbow. Moffat has a hell of a task ahead of him to follow on from Davies; I'm sure he's up to it as well.
The encore - which didn't make the Radio 3 broadcast was Song of Freedom with the audience clapping along. Again, awesomeness personified.
I didn't get a chance to speak to many people afterwards but from eavesdropping in the queue for the ladies - all I heard was praise from other attendees as to how wonderful it all was. I don't think these people were Fans but ordinary folks who love that little show that shows from Easter to July each year. The people who the show is actually aimed at and I am, as heretical it might seem to say this, am glad of that.
And I can't *wait* to see this concert again on TV!
So with that caveat - Allons-y!
For those of you who don't want to wade through screeds and screeds of me waffling away - the really, really short review:
In the words of Nine - it was FANTASTIC!
For those of you wanting something a little more... indepth...
Before I begin, I want to register the only grumble I have about the prom. Whomever had the 'good' idea to schedule the performance at 11am on a Sunday morning? should be taken out and shot. Or at very least headslapped with extreme prejudice.
I didn't get home until 1am and getting up at 6.50 am, so I could leave the house to make the train for London and the connection across town to South Kensington. Does not make for a happy monster. Even when there is bloody good music at the other end.
Which is the only complaint I have to make on the whole day.
As for the rest of the experience - 'Capslock of Squee' will give you an idea of how wonderful it all was.
So yes, six hours sleep before I dragged my sorry arse out of bed and into clothes and the car to take me to the rail station. For a Sunday it was an uneventful journey - hell even the Circle Line was co-operating, albeit three-quarters of it were. No surprise there then!
For the confused - some background... Ahem!
The BBC Proms - Wikipedia
The fact that a prom was dedicated to the music of Doctor Who is something that is a *tad* out of the ordinary. Bit like... I don't know, the Metropolitan Opera putting on a Star Wars concert, or to be more surreal, Klingon Opera. The 'traditionalists' will sputter and fume of course, but if it's meant to get people who'd never attend a Prom before (or even considered it) to go then... it worked like a charm.
I'd say that the audience was about 1/3 kids and 75% 'normals'. i.e. people who I would not consider to be fans like most people who'll be reading this blog entry. The people who the show is aimed at (I had to point that out - no frakking apologies!)
The whole event was a first for me. I like classical music - same as I like most forms of music. Adore soundtracks more than anything else but I have my favourite pieces - most of which are ballets but that's by the by.
What I am trying to say is that although I've considered going to the Proms before, before this, I've never been. I've been to the Royal Albert Hall to see a ballet (Romeo and Juliet in 2001) but not to a Prom.
So, after I arrived at South Kensington, I took some time to get my bearings and more importantly have a cup of tea (and a rather nice chocolate muffin). Given that the weather was just glorious (for once) Hello thar Summer - we've been expecting you! - I sat on the steps of the Albert Monument, in Hyde Park, took photos, drank my tea, demolished my muffin and chatted to two other ladies who were there for the Prom as well. Mainly sitting there, looking across the road at the Albert Hall and the hundreds of people milling around the huge hall.
The Royal Albert Hall as seen from the Albert Monument
The Albert Monument from the rather comfortable steps!
So with about thirty minutes before showtime, I crossed the road and joined the queue to take my seat and all of that. Lots of people milling around and a good oppurtunity to people watch. Everyone was lively and good natured. Most often asked question had to be "Is this the right queue for door X?" and "where did you get that programme?!" (the programme was in the shape of a TARDIS - yes, I brought at least one)
Three things instantly struck me as I walked into the auditorium:
i) Bloody Hell - I'm about ten foot from the stage If you look at a photo of the interior of the Albert Hall, you'll notice that there is the stage, then you have the pit and then the tiers of seats around the edge. I was in the third row from the pit, about ten foot from the stage. Could not have asked for a better seat. Or I could have but I'll get to that in a mo;)
ii) They has a TARDIS on the stage (and 'Bad Wolf' graffitied on the corrugated iron panels right by the orchestra/choir)
iii) The ambient sound to be heard as I walked in... the 'heartbeat' of the TARDIS. That beautiful 'purring' sound when she's at rest and the Doctor is just toodling around (as he does), that sound. Just awesome.
So, sat there, chatting two three very nice guys who had come all the way from Bristol (which is as far west as you can get without ending up in Wales) to see both Kylie (Astrid Peth) in concert the night before and the Who prom - needless to say they were all running on adrenaline. Yes, I am a lightweight - I know this, let us continue.
Then as if by magic - an Ood appeared on the stairs. I think in reality it was the actor trying to figure out how to get up and down. He couldn't have been more than six feet away from where I was sitting... so yeah, I took a photo of him. *is sheepish* I am aware about no cameras but as the performance hadn't started I took a liberty. I also took a photo of the TARDIS as well but that came out... *weird*.
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Photo of a 'materializing' TARDIS on a variation of Surrealism
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An Ood at the Albert Hall? How... peculiar!
At 11am, Ben Foster, looking rather dapper in black shirt and black trousers took his place in front of the orchestra to applause from the audience. If you've never seen a picture of this guy - he is a cutie. Tall, slim and very easy on the eyes. Also able to silence a huge auditorium full of people (I think the only time it gets more packed out is the Last Night of the Proms, though I don't think that the conductors can shut the audience up so fast. Seriously, you could have heard a pin drop.
Instead, the soloist Melanie Pappenheim stood up and sang the The Doctor's Theme as a prologue to the concert.
Now, I've always found that to be a beautiful, haunting melody but heard live? Hairs standing on the back of the neck time!
That was followed by Stephen Bell coming out to conduct Copelands Fanfare for the Common Man. Which really needs no introduction. You've more than likely to have heard it and again - it is something else when heard live. Cue applause form the audience...
Which turned into a roar of welcome as Freema Agyeman walked on stage, looking hotter than hell (beautiful flowing black number off the shoulder, hemmed with sequins). If she sounded a little 'shaky', so would you if you'd walked out into a huge auditorium of filled with people who were there because they loved the show you were on! It must have been one hell of a moment.
She introduced the proms proper as the First Doctor Who Prom - which if there are more, I'm going and I think my sister and her godson/honorary nephew (he's about 6 years old and is *obsessed* by Who) will be coming with me. Along with nearly everyone else who loves Who and can be in London on that date;)
Next up - All The Strange, Strange Creatures from the Series 3 soundtrack. If you saw the Red Button trailer from Season 3 - this is the peice of music that accompanied that - the 'running' music. If you heard the performance via Radio 3 or the iPlayer and wondered why the audience suddenly started cheering for no apparent reason... I'll explain all:
I was sitting there, listening and loving the piece (It's one of my favourite pieces fom the series), watching the orchestra and looking at the huge TV screens dotted around. Said TVs were showing clips of all the monsters that have populated the show. There was the transformed Prof Lazarus ('The Lazarus Experiment'), The Family of Blood doing that weird head-tilt they did ('Human Nature/The Family of Blood') and ...
ZOMG IT'S A JUDOON WALKING DOWN THE STAIRS!!! Look over to the opposite side of the auditorium and there's another one and he's not got his helmet on!! Look to the right and there are some Cybermen stomping down the stairs! And the Ood too. How awesome?!
Now, these were the real deal. Not phony costumes - these were the real costumes from the show, resplete with the full, very professional make up - looking exactly the way they do on telly. Which from about five seats away is something else!Oh and the Judoon who came down my row even had the Human detector as he stamped some little boy a row ahead of me - awwww, bless!
Did I mention the Sontarans? They turned up too and tried to do the 'Sontar-HA!' haka (it is a bloody haka - try and argue it otherwise!) but weren't co-ordinated enough. The Cybermen were bloody scary as they 'invaded' the pit. because they had the walk down pat. Compare the march of the new school Cybermen to the old school and you'll see what I mean.
So that is why there are strange cheering sounds on the broadcast:) The commentator mentions it but I thought I'd better point that out to you all.
Next up, Freema introduced the next two pieces (I could be wrong) which were both related to The Planets suite by Holst (which is, conicidentally, also playing at the Proms in September - for which I have a ticket. I very much doubt I'll have such a good seat next time).
The first piece was a UK premiere; called The Torino Scale. Takes it's name from the scientific measurements of the likelyhood of an asteroid hitting the Earth. Learn something new every day! Best way of describing it to someone who hasn't heard it before? A peice for orchestra and klaxon and supporters rattle. Very much of the 'boom, crash, bang!' school of music.
That was followed up by Jupiter, Bringer of Jollity from The Planets Suite. I think this is a beautiful peice of music anyway - not just because part of it is incorporated into the hymn Jerusalem, which is often sung at England Rugby Union matches.
Though after watching this performance, one has to wonder whether it is actually part of the Song of the Ood. Why? because as the orchestra were playing, three Ood came down the stairs and went into the central pit. Just as the music that makes up Jerusalem was playing, they raised their hands up as if they were singing. Who knew that the Ood supported the England Team (*g*). Though I am sure that Flower of Scotland, Land of my Fathers and the Soldier's Song are all in there too.
I forgot to mention - the composer of The Torino Scale was in the audiene, looking as pleased as punch. Which is hardly a surprise as being able to see your piece played by such an orchestra to so many people in a place such as the Royal Albert Hall... career pinnacle stuff.
Freema came onto introduce the next three pieces - The Doctor Forever, Rose and Martha versus the Master. The one that stuck out the most with me was Rose because the first part was her decision to travel with the Doctor. Yes, I miss Nine and I am not ashamed to admit it. I love Ten but... Nine brought me back to Who. He was wonderful, smart, snarky, funny, broken and beautiful. I wish we had more time with him but.... alas. One thought I had throughout was 'I must watch the series from the beginning again!' just to remind myself that desipte all the whining from 'various' corners of fandom - this is a remarkable, wonderful show.
Freema returned to state that she wasn't biased in thinking that Martha versus the Master was the best peice of those three;). She went on to introduce the (so-called) Promisode by noting that this year is the 50th anniversary of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. You may never have heard of them but if you've seen any old school Who, you'll know their work. Without them, old school Who would never have sounded half as good.
I've read some bitching and whining about said Promisode - all I can say is that most of the people didn't see it in context. I did and it was, to quote Ten, brilliant.
Yes, it was a bit pantomime in some places - such as when the Doctor pushes his Ode to the Universe through the portal - papers shot out of the TARDIS all over the orchestra, who proceeded to pass it around themselves. Good sports, the lot of them:D Shame to say that what might sound beautiful to Gallifreyan ears didn't pass this human's ears.
As for the Graske - he had a run in with a cellist, which was amusing. As was the Old School shout out - reversing the polarity;)
As for the whole 'everyone can make music' stuff that seems to be coming in for some stick. Everyone can - nothing is said about it being *good* - it's all about creating *something* that you feel good about creating and want to share. After all, isn't that what fandom is partly about?!
Oh and if you listen carefully to the title music... Old School FTW! Someone will be able to pinpoint which series it's from, I can tell you that for nowt!
Interval time, which involved a rather interesting piece on Radio 3 about the appeal of the Doctor and how it's changed over the years. Certainly food for thought. (I listened to the concert via the BBC iPlayer, so I heard it, if you can track it down, you may want to listen.)
Once the Orchestra (and everyone else) had either a nice cup of tea or an ice cream - it was back for more.
The second half/act began with Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries.
If that doesn't sound familiar then try...
Or quoting Apocaplyse Now (you *know* the quote I mean!).
I swear that I didn't 'say' or sing anything - though it was tempting. One thing to look out for, when they show this on TV... Look at the French Horn section of the orchestra. They're right at the back, near the choir. Most amusing.
This was back announced by Noel Clarke and Camille Coduri (Mickey Smith and Jackie Tyler, Rose's mum). Being shallow for a moment - Noel looked rather hot - black shirt and black suit is one look that suits practically any bloke (not to mention makes them look rather dapper). Camille was wearing a very beautiful dark purple, draped, jersey cocktail dress. Yes, there was a crack about comparing The Ring Cycle to the finale of Season 4, which you can't blame them for.
I am sure that more would have been said, but the Daleks decided that was a good time to invade the Albert Hall. Yes, that takes the buscuit for the most surreal thing I've written all year... but it's true! They did! Not to mention that Davros himself turned up to listen to his music and declare us all his slaves, roundly getting booed in the process. We humans won't give up without a fight;)
On a more 'mundane' note - according to the programme, yes, that was Julian Bleach under all that make up and yes, that was Nicholas Briggs as the Dalek voices. Poor Ben Foster getting bossed around by a Dalek - it shouldn't happen to a conductor.
Needless to say it was a fantastic peice and the music was just glorious. The Davros stuff was showing to the images from the scene in The Stolen Earth where the Daleks communicate their 'intentions' to Planet Earth, the heartbreaker where Sarah Jane and Jack know *exactly* what they are hearing and kiss the ones they love... Yes, that scene was in there in it's complete form. I don't think anyone really noticed as they were all busy gawping at Davros - which you can hardly blame them for!
I am hoping that this might find it's full version in the next soundtrack because it is a magnificent peice ranging from Parting of the Ways to Journey's End.
The next announcer was a complete surprise. Catherine Tate came out to possibly the loudest cheer of the entire concert. Which is quite a feat, because instead of a roar of approval, she got a ROAR OF GLEE from the audience. Which didn't help her hangover one iota - oh dear.
She introduced the next three segments, stating that we should remember Donna's time with the Doctor as Donna couldn't.
I'll hold my hands up and say that I wasn't the greatest fan of Donna at the start but when they showed the montage of her 'departure', it bloody hurt. She was fantastic and she will be missed... unless Mr Moffat can change history?!
The next three pieces Donna, The Girl in the Fireplace and Astrid were all very good - GitF is very reminicent of the magnificent Madame De Pompadour (which I adore). The stuff for Astrid included a clip of the scene that I saw (technically!) in Cardiff last year - in August, yes, it was damn confusing!
Moving swiftly on, back to the 'classic' classical music with Prokofiev's Montagues and Capulets which has been used time and again in modern culture - most recently for the TV show The Apprentice
It was as this point, I think, that Murray Gold came onstage to play keyboards for some of his work. I had a suspicion that he would be present, because it is very rare for a living composer to have a Prom (pretty much) dedicated to their work - he was very dapper in a cream suit with the biggest grin on his face. Not that he could be blamed;)
Next up two of my favorite pieces - This is Gallifrey and Doomsday. Both are wonderful on CD but live they are just magical. Especially when you get to see the visuals that go with them. Did Gallifrey ever look so beautiful?
As for Doomsday - I can't speak for anyone else but there were tears in my eyes - big softie, no frakking apologies - but it was fantastic all over again. Alas, it didn't merge into The Last Dalek like it does in the show but it was still magificent and beautiful and heartbreaking.
(Nearly at the end - thank the 'verse - written over 3,000 words here!) Freema returned to mention her favourite moment from S4 filming - that utterly wonderful scene from Journey's End where the Doctor's 'family' help him steer the TARDIS towing Earth home. I know a lot of people deride that scene but for me - it is the epitome of why I love Doctor Who so much - the joy and love and wonder and... yeah.
If you can't see that - then I feel sorry for you. If you're wondering the music that accompanies that scene was played next, complete with exploding streamers (that's the sound you hear - in line with the scene of fireworks on Earth). I can't speak for anyone else but I jumped;)
The segment starts with The Doctor's Theme but the piece de resistance of the whole event - the afore mentioned section from Journey's end - was certainly Song of Freedom - it's no lie when I say I felt as if I was going to pull a muscle from grinning so much at that fantastic piece. I am hoping against hope that this is on the next soundtrack as I *need* it in my life - yesterday! Preferably without the pyrotechnics but I am not proud;)
Following that was Song for Ten from The Christmas Invasion which was quite good and finally, of course, *that* theme tune, which I have to say sounded better on the radio than it did live - they used the rocky version from S4 - not the awesomesauce version from S1-3.
The next stuff, you'll hopefully see when they broadcast this on TV. There was much clapping and applauding - of the conductors who did an awesome job. Of Murray Gold who has done a fantastic job of creating the music and of a certain gentleman who was sitting in the balcony pretty much directly above me. Mr Russell T. Davis - accompanied, so it would seem by a Mr P. Davison (okay, I geeked out over that - Five was my *first* doctor!.)
Some will sneer that RTD was there to lap up th praise - bullsh*t. I got the impression (as I noted he was there earlier - I just couldn't remember where for the benefits of this report) that he was here to enjoy the music as much as the other 1399 people in attendance.
Yes, without him the whole shebang would have been for naught but even if someone else had pulled off the miracle he did, because it was. To take a dead TV show that had decended into a laughing stock by the time that it had been pulled off the air.... and re-invent it for a *family* audience and make it more successful than it had ever been in it's heyday - could Joss Whedon or anyone else do that? I *don't* think so!.
So if the audience applauded him as well - more power to his elbow. Moffat has a hell of a task ahead of him to follow on from Davies; I'm sure he's up to it as well.
The encore - which didn't make the Radio 3 broadcast was Song of Freedom with the audience clapping along. Again, awesomeness personified.
I didn't get a chance to speak to many people afterwards but from eavesdropping in the queue for the ladies - all I heard was praise from other attendees as to how wonderful it all was. I don't think these people were Fans but ordinary folks who love that little show that shows from Easter to July each year. The people who the show is actually aimed at and I am, as heretical it might seem to say this, am glad of that.
And I can't *wait* to see this concert again on TV!
