I am going to the proms

[mrfixit]

I am going with a freind on september the 12, we booked the tickets today. Even though i have been to see beethoven and classical music peformed before i have never been to the royal albert hall. So i am wondering does anyone know what the acoustics ares like as i am goign to be pretty far away from orchestra. Oh yeah as well as seeing beethovens 9th symphony performed live (2 down 7 to go) There is going to be a peice called The shadow of the night composed by someone called Sir Harrison Britwistle any experts here know who this geezer is?

[spaceray]

English composer Harrison Britwistle was born in 1934 he studied the methods of medieval and Renaissance masters,his works include "Entr'actes and Sappho Fragments" for female voice and instruments and "Visions of Francesco Petrarcha", a work of a semi dramatic character for voices and instruments."

[John Rasmussen]

Apparently the Royal Albert Hall has a distinct echo. (I've never been there, so I couldn't say from experience.) Sir Thomas Beecham said, "British composers should all endeavor to have their works performed in this hall; they will thus be assured of at least two performances."

Beecham also said to Clifford Curzon, after a Beethoven piano concerto: "You did play the last chord of that cadenza, didn't you?"
"No, you never gave me time."
"Oh, I thought I heard it. It must have been the echo of this confounded Albert Hall."

[John Rasmussen]

I'm not familiar with Birtwhistle's music, but he has a reputation of being avant-garde. Let us know your impressions! Many of us are interested in more composers than our Ludwig.

[mrfixit]

I dont think i ever heard classical music that has been composed this recently so it should be interesting. I will try my best to give my inpression but i am not very fancy with words lol.