Take That Progress Tour 2011

On Tuesday May 31^st, I participated in the 4^th Take That concert at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light of their 2011 European Tour. I cannot describe myself as a fan of either the original or later Take That male singing group or of Robbie Williams the Solo singer who also participated in this concert by the group after an absence of 15 years. However when the invitation arrived there was no hesitation on my part other than to immediately accept and the event became the centre piece of the bank holiday half term week which included several meals out, some good swimming sessions and the first of the 20 20 cricket matches this season at the Emirates Durham International.

The last stadium concert attended was in 2003 to watch for the third occasion, Bruce Springsteen and the East Street Band. It was attending the Metro Arena X factor concert in Newcastle where Leona Lewis was the winning star which led to discovering of My Space and the publication of my new writings there and the decision to stop contributing to the now defunct AOL Blogs where in addition to the writings I had published some 40000 photos of my 101 work to that date. I mention this because it is as a consequence of writing about the Take That Concert that the decision has been taken to concentrate once more on my project 101 artwork and more significantly, on the work on my life to be published posthumously. I will complete the writing of the Game of Thrones experience but alongside that work of reading the books and watching the TV series. I will publish writings of my contemporary experience but these will be no more that diaries until the major writing is finished and then substantial progress has been achieved in the artwork project

I have been to several stadium concerts with David Bowie at the former Sunderland Football ground at Roker Park, coming to mind and Elton John, Tina Turner, the Rolling Stones and the most memorable of all the July 13^th 1985 Live Aid Concert at Wembley. I therefore described myself as a seasoned rock concert goer prepared to queue early to get a good seat and to spend hours in traffic jams at end of an event. In this in instance there was a specified seat so there was no need to arrive mid afternoon and from my experience as a Sunderland Stadium of Light season ticket holder I knew where it is possible to park within a couple of minutes walk from the stadium if you arrive about two hours before event.

It was therefore possible on the Tuesday to take the Car for a midmorning swim at the Marriot and find surprisingly that the pool was again empty as lunchtime approached and then enjoy a cheese and pickle sandwich in the bar lounge with a soft drink before parking the car around 14.15 and returning home by bus. There are three bus routes from Sunderland back to Shields with the quickest and most direct the 35 which has the advantage of stopping close to the stadium and starts at the South Shields bus station. Around 5pm I walked part way down the hill to the local Wetherspoon’s for an eight oz rump steak with jacket potato, a mushroom, tomato and peas accompanied by a bottle of Beck’s, akin to Peroni all for the same price as the lunch! It was then time to walk down the rest of the hill to the bus station and a wait for ten minutes before the next 35 bus journey to the stadium.

Usually, in the roadway, immediately leading to the stadium there are programme, magazine and souvenir sellers with stewarding only within the stadium arena. On Tuesday there were dozens of stewards at the beginning of the approach roads advising everyone which part of the stadium they should head for. The car park area was fenced off for those who had ground tickets and wished to queue to gain entry into the arena and close to the stages. There were also stewards at the turnstiles helping to ensure that everyone had arrived at the appropriate entry point for their ticket which had to be inserted in an electronic check machine that opened the gateway. Other stewards inside the concourse were available to direct further if required although outside the turnstiles and inside there were large sign boards showing the locations of aisles, and seat numbering. Similarly within the stadium area the stewards were present to help rather than for security purposes. There was no security check for any baggage and no signs preventing the use of mobile phones or other recording equipment. There are some 900 videos available on You Tube of events at the stadium with one ten minuets of good quality vision and sound of the event. In addition to the music the videos provide evidence of the development in production from the days when concerts consisted of a stage, lighting and banks of huge speakers.

The seats were one row from the back of the second tier just below the Black Cat Club lounge whose window overlooks the whole length of the North Stand pitch immediately opposite the main stage. The seats were at the same height as those within the stadium outside the executive boxes which fill the whole length of the West stand above the Chairman’s and Board central seating area, the media area and the other more expensive seating in the stadium. The price of the ticket was £63 plus Vat plus booking fee.

The main stage was at the opposite end filling the full width and height of stadium. At each end there were close up screens and centre back, a larger electronic screen. Above and around the screen on what appeared to be just a covered steel frame with large coloured squares. At stadium roof level there was the lighting control gantry and above this, there was a huge spider man figure whose outstretched hands embraced the entire width of the southern end of the stadium. From the main stage area there was a large runway leading to the second stage area which was located in the final third of the arena, closer to our position than those hugging the guard rail front of stage. The runway and stage was at the head level of those standing in the arena. Major stage productions are not new with David Bowie setting the standard in the early 1980’s although it was Queen which created the international standard with its tour of the United States as they did with Bohemian Rhapsody video, a record which lasts twice that of the standard pop chart number and which everyone in the industry said would not be played but headed the charts for nine weeks, selling over one million copies 1975 1976 and is regarded by many as one of the top 100 singles of all time world wide.

The stadium was about three quarters full for the support act of the Pet Shop boys who played a set from about 19.20 to 20.00. If I am honest, and I try to be, I am more familiar with more Pet Shop songs than Take That with West End Girls, Always on my Mind, Heart and It’s a sin being known to me and to millions of others given sales of 100 million world wide and 42 Top 30 and 22 Top 10 singles in the UK charts. The duo compromises Neil Tennant now 56 born in North Shields and Chris Lowe, three years younger, from Liverpool and both with degrees, Neil’s in London which led him to become London based. He then worked for Marvel comics and then for music industry magazines and papers. He was one of the biggest donors to the Labour Party before joining the Liberal Democrats. Chris Lowe became an architect and a Trombonist before forming an association with Tenant in the early 1980’s both having an interest in the development of keyboard club dance music.

Their stage performance is traditional with Chris famous for his static playing of the keyboard without any movement or attempt to project himself to the audience. For the Take That tour performance Neil was accompanied by a backing group of four young women who wore coloured boxes on their heads for much of the act or performed healthy exercises in swim wear. The audience while appreciative of the music and singing along with the songs remained seated and there was flatness about their set as everyone waited for the main event. I say this in the context that their Glastonbury appearance last year was highly regarded. They have performed with Dusty Springfield, David Bowie, Elton John, Shirley Bassey, Liza Minnelli, Boy George, Kylie Minogue, Madonna, and more recently Girls Aloud and Lady Gaga.

The 2 hour Take That extravaganza commenced around 8.30 and was in three parts, and by this time I could not see a vacant seat and the pitch audience covered 90% of its area. The big screen showed some 54000 customers before it was dismantled along with the coloured squares revealing a five section backstage with a central section which also made way for various surprises. In the fist part Take That, the four entered and came to the foremost part of the extended stage to sing The Greatest Day and to say hullo, how appreciative they were of our presence and how much they looked forward to starting their tour in Sunderland. If I remember accurately they disappeared into the big screen and then became part of it just as Robbie Williams came out of it to commence his individual set of songs which ended with a rendering of Angels.

At the commencement of the writing I said I participated although my contribution was to stand for the performance, clap and move about on the spot in time with the beat of the music. This was one the less expressive performances from the audience who general knew the words and joined in whether they can hold a tune or not and vigorously moved body and hands with great energy. Given the cost fo tickets, the transport and accommodation for many, the programmes at £20 and T shirts and other souvenirs pro rata, it is understandable that many also drank several pints beforehand to get into the spirit of the event. In order to ensure that the voices of the performers were raised above the mass choir and the excellent backing band there was a great array of speakers slung around the rim of the roof as well as strategic positions at the stages so that the sound reverberated against the roof and against the windows of the Black Cat Club.

Looking at videos the Circus tour it is evident that that they are used to spending a fortune in building sets which add to the excitement and sense of wonder and which will form my lasting visual memory of which there were three main components. When located at the end of the raised platform closest to where I was sitting the group performed with dancers in a variety of costumes and effect which included fire twice with swirling flames for Light my Fire and then towards the end surging upward flames followed a major explosion of flame the heat of which I felt from where I sat for Relight the Fire. The most spectacular event at this end of the arena was KIDZ which involved a full set of living chess pieces engaging in combat and the most colourful Shine which included a large Caterpillar on top of which a member of the group sang.

The back stage was the setting for two spectacular moments with around 25 aerial dancers performing like spider men and then forming giant size figures of the evolution of human kind as we rose from being on all fours to two legs. The other event was the Flood which as the title suggests comprises water cascading the down the width of the stage. Finally all the framework screens were removed to reveal huge projection screens again the whole width of the stage to colourful visuals reflecting the mood of a song bathing the whole stadium as lighting around the stadium matched.

This leaves the central walkway which had to be lowered twice to facilitate the use of major mechanicals. The first has become a standard at concert involving a swing arm in this instance or some physical projection which enable the artist to move above the assembly allowing them to bend down and touch hands. This was a Robbie Williams moment. This was no more than a build up for the appearance of Mr Om a giant mechanical who first appeared on the front of the main stage but was then wheeled along ground base tracks to a central point in the arena where he was transformed from a flat position to standing tall with his head again above the height of the stadium roofing when the construction remained as the Encore finale took place at the extended stage end with the singers saying this was the end and while still singing, moved at ground level either side of the walkway shaking hands with the closest admirers.

Having had seats at the back of the second level before I know that if you do not set off five minutes before the end you have to wait until everyone else departs and in this instance those on the pitch area had to be included. Everybody left in orderly fashion and there was no crush. Reaching my vehicle I had expected to find a car jam when exiting into the one system to the right which takes vehicles back along the Newcastle Road towards the Regional Capital, or over the Wear Bridge into Sunderland town centre, or in the opposite direction along the coast road to Roker, Seaburn and on to South Shields. It is possible to get to South Shields by two other streams on the same one way system, by going straight on at the first set of traffic lights and joining the coast Road at the junction between the coast and the river, or swinging left with the option of taking a road parallel to the coast road, having first passed the former site of Sunderland Football Club, Roker Park, now an estate of yuppie housing, and on until reaching Sea Lane where I lived and swinging down the hill passed my former home to the Marriot Hotel, or alternately continuing through Fulwell to joining the road for South Shields which connects with the Newcastle Road going through the Academy of Light and the village of Cleadon.

For the same size of crowd or less at football matches unless you left the ground early one became caught up in a slow moving car jam but on the evening it was possible to join in and make the way home at normal travelling speed. The only thing spoiling the occasion was to find, or not find, more accurately, the remote control for the garage with the spare left inside the house. It was not until following afternoon that I visited the stadium in the hope of checking under the seat where I remain convinced the remote fell. What happened is that the person to my right spilled the pint drink at their feet and in the rush to rescue my coat which I had placed under my seat it was turned upside down and in the noise of the stadium I failed hear the remote fall out. Alas I was not given permission to check and after sending emails and a telephone call I received the information that the stadium had been swept and surprise nothing be found. Such a small item would have been easily missed and swept up with the rest of the rubbish. Fortunately the spare is in good order but a new spare will cost around £50 as the it has to be delivered a set with the cost of the petrol and labour being significantly greater than the remote itself.

After Sunderland there are eight days in the home town of Manchester, 2 nights at Cardiff and Dublin, 3 Glasgow and 2 Birmingham followed by 8 London before visits to Milan, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Düsseldorf and Munich, Given that the crew for the set were based in Sunderland over a three week period, it is amazing that the dissembling and resembling can be accomplished with a couple of days unless there is a duplicate staging. The Sunderland crew did not pack up into their two coaches until the day of morning of the final concert. It is said that the staging cost £15 million produce but with total audience set to reach 1.75 million a total yield in excess of £100 million is likely of which £50 million could be available to be shared between band members. Take That has an interesting history formed by bringing together talented individual singers in 1989 with Gray Barlow impressing most because of his catalogue of created original work. It was four years before superstardom came their way with a number I album success of original work by Barlow, and followed by new albums in 1994 1995 with a world tour planed for 1996. Meanwhile Robbie Williams was hitting headlines for the wrong reasons of drug abuse and talk of a solo career, being seen partying with other performers such as George Michael and Oasis. He left the band breaking his contract for which a $200000 settlement was arranged and while the tour continued, the band disbanded in 1996 with all the members following separate careers. The effect upon thousands of teenage girls was dramatic with so many in tears and threatening suicide that the government established counselling helplines.

It was ten years later that the group minus Robbie came together and went on tour culminating in backing Leona Lewis in her A Million Love songs single for the X Factor final live show. As Christmas approached their comeback album Beautiful World and single topped every chart in the UK including downloads and DVD thus becoming immediately the top group of its kind in the UK. They had major tours in 2007 and 2009 and foursome. It was in 2010 that the group confirmed that Robbie Williams had rejoined and he and Barlow had created a new album Progress which when released broke all records. It is said that over 1 million tickets were sold for the tour on the first day they went on sale leading to the addition of dates. A second album branded as Extended play called Progressed will be released later this month with both albums issued as a special edition. Among the numbers performed at the concert I have already mentioned Kidz, Happy Now and there was also Underground Machine with the one of single issued songs The Flood and Love Love.

It has been quite a week with on Sunday going for the first day of the successful cricket championship game in which Durham went to win against Lancashire by an innings. On Wednesday the morning after the concert I watched a recording of the ballet Swan Lake from Covent Garden Opera House and then had a great roast beef lunch at the Britannia Toby Carvery in Cleadon Village. The weather was glorious for the fist 20 20 game on Thursday evening when alas Durham could not get their heads from the Championship into the new format, whereas their opponents had a week to prepare. However it is the behaviour of the Durham University student on which I end after mentioning the excellent behaviour of the 50000 at the concert despite tens of thousands of pints being consumed. On Thursday evening a few hundred party mood students the worse for drink confirmed popular media imaging at the Emirates International Stadium. Added to which Durham lost.

Beethovens 9th and the Grosse Fugue

Last night, 25^th May 2011, I watched a film about the last years of the life of Ludvig van Beethoven centering on the completion and performance of the 9th Symphony and his writing of the Grosse Fugue. I was reminded once more of the occasion of first hearing a live performance during my first and only season of attending promenade concerts at the Royal Albert Hall with a half season ticket.

I was reminded that whenever I heard The Symphony No 9 in D minor, Op 125 "Choral" (1824) my soul revels in an ecstasy of emotion and memory at the wonder of my own experiences and at the capacity of talented and inspired human beings to create for the enjoyment and betterment of everyone and anyone willing to listen.

I went to my collection to CD’s and was shocked to find that I do not posses a copy and I was immediately too lazy to transfer the record player console from next door to this room, or sit next door listening. Fortunately I live in this increasingly wondrous but also horrific technological era when it is possible within seconds to conjure a full version of the Symphony via the Internet. In this instance a Live Performance on 17^th May 1956 with Otto Klemperer conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra. The sound reproduction via the internet speakers of this 50 year old recording was not good but nevertheless brought back my reactions to the film and previous listening.

Afterwards I decided that it was stupid to keep the present location of the audio player next door because I rarely, if ever, go just to listen so the next task was reorganise which involved a dusting and move the player to the small table behind me placed against a middle wall of the building so what while the sound will fill this room it will have less of an impact on neighbours. I have a pair of large Sony speakers which have to be attached by wire to the back of the unit with patient skill but once connected they produce a rich deep enveloping sound which underlines the limitations of the Internet and TV reproductions. I am listening to the 5^th Symphony - bon bon bon, and the sixth, known as the Pastoral. I did find my copy of the 9^th but the crackle was such to confirm that I do need one of those Internet connect units which removes the surface noise. I have the noble intention of converting all my video film, tape recordings to the CD and DVD as part of the artwork project, as well as reading all the books and then making written notes. At present I lack the physical strength and the will to complete all the tasks I have set myself as well as continue to experience “new” experience, but listening to the great Master composer I am fired with the fresh determination.

This was also the basic theme of the fictitious films called Copying Beethoven, and MGM 2006 production with Ed Harris giving an excellent performance of the aggressively deaf Beethoven and Diane Kruger as the female composer who persuades her father to allow her to go on her own to Vienna to study at the conservatoire and live at a local convent. She is a fictional character and the convent aspect is a gesture to the reality of the times 1824 1827 when apart from courtesans and the proletariat an educated middle/upper class woman would not be allowed to travel unaccompanied. The other concession to modernity is that she has a boyfriend and although kiss is a chaste one this again would not have been permitted.

The purpose of this fictional character is to expose the temperamental genius of the Maestro who was totally deaf and could not hear the music he was creating and communicated mainly by notepads. And the theme? The nature of creative genius and the inspiration which the young woman experiences by undertake work for Beethoven and which at one point he declares “you want to me.”

In the film story the young woman knows/studies/is related to the man who acts as copyist and assistant to Beethoven who because of illness asks her to step in for a session and she grasps the opportunity and sticks with the position despite the dust and chaos in which he lives, including rats. He is attracted, in a nice way, to her individuality recognising a fellow spirit whose creative abilities need to be unlocked from the conventional upbringings of the day.

In the build up to the completion of the ninth Symphony there are two sub stories. The first is the relationship between Beethoven and a nephew who has gambling debts and comes to Beethoven for financial help. Beethoven adores the young man and wants him to become a concert pianist but the young man knows he has no talent and wants to become an officer in the military. The second story is that of the relationship between the young copyist and her engineer boyfriend who has designed a bridge for a competitive selection contest. The bridge is a great disappointment to the girl who pretends otherwise but Beethoven who attends smashes the work with his stick because it has no soul, something when pressed the young woman agrees. The boyfriend issues an ultimatum that she must have no contact with Beethoven or lose him and she chooses Beethoven because in her the creative drive dominates all others.

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The highlight of the film is the first performance of the Symphony where the Director has skillfully fused the opening of the work with opening of the choral fourth movement. Beethoven officially conducted but in reality the Orchestra was required to follow the directions of another, in a less conspicuous location and ignore those of Beethoven. He had male assistants on the platform giving him the tempo so he could attempt to synchronies his hand movements with the orchestral sounds. In the film the young woman is placed among the musicians enabling him to give a perfect rendering. Her boyfriend is in the audience and responds to the situation with a mixture of admiration and jealousy. Also in the audience is the nephew who is emotionally affected and appears to be remorseful for his recent behaviour.

What is authentic is that the Viennese high society was ecstatic in their appreciation of the new work. In fact the response of the audience was such as to cause concern because it exceeded what was permitted by the conventions of the day.

This reminds of the different reactions in the USA and the UK to when Tony Blair was invited to address the joint House of the State and President Obama’s address to the joint Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall. His speech to Congress as with the Presidential State of the Union speech there are prolonged applause interruptions, up to a score of occasions. The addresses at Westminster Hall, the previous being Nelson Mandela, The Pope and Her Majesty the Queen are greeted in respectful silence with prolonged applause at the end. Yesterday there was one unscheduled interruption when he referred to the own background and becoming the President. Whether he had intended or not at the end of the speech instead of quickly departing he moved into the long hall and made a slow walk shaking the hands with as many people as he could including a surprised and joyous Nicholas Soames, the grandson to Winston Churchill to whom the President referred in his speech several times. I will comment more on the speech and the visit later.

Returning to the film there were two other aspects worth recording. The first is the reaction of Beethoven to the first musical composition presented by the young woman which ridicules. He makes amends later by commenting favourably having made generalizations about the death of female composers who have made it in the past an observations which remains valid, although this has as much to do with the musical establishment and with any lack of abilities.

This brings me to the other subject of the film, we mostly if not all, end our lives in a sense of failure, and in his instance the Grosse Fuge, the Grand Fuge, which was one the last works he created as a single work for a string quartet without a break for individual movements and is a combination of “dissonance and contrapuntal complexity.” In the film the audience walks out to a man and woman leaving him alone with the young woman who also admits she also does not understand the music. Ivor Stravinsky declared the work an absolute contemporary piece of music that will be contemporary for ever. Along with the Ninth considered by many to be one of the greatest symphonic works of all time, the Fuge is regarded as one of his greatest works, and as with all genius the work is often so ahead of its time to be unappreciated and even ridiculed in the day. I followed the Symphonies with a recording of the sound track of the film about the life if Jacqueline Du Pres which ends with a full performance of the Elgar Concerto in E Minor for Cello and Orchestra and which ended just in time for the commencement of the third day’s play at Edgbaston only to find the start was delayed because of rain.

Mahler and Rachmaninov in 3 D

My soul is in live entertainment and art but I am limited in what I can now experience directly because of two factors. My age and chosen way of life and the way I have allocated my finances. The age issue existed before the decision to rise before six and swim in that I have attended orchestral concerts and stage events and struggled to keep awake during evening performances however interesting the work. I have had the same challenge going to afternoon performances both before and since the swim regime, but have been able to manage better recently. I do not dare try and work out the cost of white and coloured A4 cards, the display albums, box files, transparent pockets, the boxes, the photographic paper the glitter pens, the in cartridges and the glue, the printers, computers, cameras and recording devices, display units, lockable filing cabinets, subscriptions and other materials used to create the art work project where recently I finally achieved the half way mark with 10000 completed sets and with other work in progress around 250000 cards and paper sheets now that I have been forced to change down through lack of space as well as cost. The cost of live everything has anyway outstripped my ongoing means at the level I would have wished had I not been so committed to the project.

This week is going to a test of my ability to change my daily life cycle as I decided not to resist the opportunities for new experiences while continuing my present level of involvement with additional or different experience. I use additional experience or different to describe experience which is similar to that of before such going to watch Durham play championship cricket at the Emirates riverside against Somerset. If I was going to a game at Taunton then I would describe this as new or original experience because I have never watched cricket at Taunton although I have travelled through the two while driving to other places in Devon or on to Cornwall.

On Sunday evening May 8th 2011, I stayed up until after 11 pm and turned off the mobile phone alarm notification for 5.30 and although I awoke and made myself comfortable around 5 am I return to bed, turned my face away from the window and the daylight beyond and manage to sleep again rising around 7 to put the rubbish wheelie bin out and then returning and getting up finally around 8.30. The reason for this change of regime was a visit to the Cineworld Bolden for a film in 3D of Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra play two major works at the concert theatre in Singapore.

“The film starts directly with the first beats of Mahler's first symphony, thus without the usual pictures of the conductor and the applauding audience. Through location shots you slowly get closer to what is happening. From above, through the port and Singapore's skyline you step into one of the most important concert halls of the world: the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay in Singapore. On the one hand it is Singapore's emblem and symbol; on the other hand this Concert Hall has showcased some of the best Asian and Western music performed by some of the world's most notable musicians and conductors.” The concert theatre in the semi round appears to hold more than the 1600 because of the number and height of the tiers and is adjacent to a stage theatre with seating for 2000 in an iconic waterfront building not as effective as the Sydney opera house but better than the Sage in Newcastle upon Tyne.

“With the beginning of the first movement's principal theme the spectator arrives at the Concert Hall next to the Berliner Philharmoniker. Mahler's first symphony, originally bynamed as "Titan", lures the audience into a great symphonic world of sounds. The orchestra is visualized as the sounding body, musical structures interwine and music becomes visible. The film stays with the musicians and Sir Simon Rattle for the following parts of the symphony. Thus it gives the spectator the possibility to adapt and to enjoy the new 3D experience.”

“The capture of space in the image complies with Mahler's aesthetic of composition, its natural sounds and the diverse levels of different musical styles. Through the new visual language of 3D it is possible to add an unknown immediacy and intensity to the concertfilm. Just as we arrive at the orchestra, we are raptured from the sound's point of origin again.”

I would describe the experience as being able to get an even more intimate view of individual performers than the conductor and of the orchestra from the perspective of the conductor. The music is not affected by any extraneous audience sounds which I cannot say for the Bolden Cineworld where the small audience of 23, 19 ladies all but two between sixty and eighty and four gentlemen including men of at least sixty years of age. One would have not therefore expected noise at admittedly one of the younger women seated in front munched the form of crisps sold in cinemas, while one of the oldest expressed her reactions to the 3D effects, presumably for the first time. This lasted a good five minutes and I contemplated moving to the lower part if the cinema as the 23 had been placed or placed themselves in close proximity in the middle to upper tiers.

Mahler composed the word between 1884 and 1888. I was struck by the size of the orchestra yet for most of the time the emphasis is on woodwind and brass and on gentle tone play.

The original programme notes which were immediate dropped described the first part as taking inspiration from spring and the awakening of nature, flowering and setting off with full sails. The second part included a funeral march and the expression of a deeply wounded heart. Although the notes were withdrawn they do convey much of my reaction to the music

There was no interval between the two pieces although there was provision for the cinema to do so. The second piece was the Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances and the music is accompanied by brief scenes from around Singapore revealing the different ethnicities, cultures and religions of the people covering their movements, their faces, worship in a Hindu Temple, sights of the Western Skyline, a modern covered pedestrian walkway and Chinatown. I thought this worked well although not all the audience was impressed. The selection of images had direct relationship to the music especially the two sequences of dance movements and the ecclesiastic references as Rachmaninoff was much interested and affect by religious music and chants.

I learned from the notes on the Internet that it is “almost 100 years since the Berliner Philharmoniker became the first orchestra to record. Since 1913, it has been at the cutting edge of technological developments like broadcasting concerts, recording complete symphonies and operas on Schellack, Longplay and later Compact Discs – always using the latest techniques. What better orchestra than the Berliner Philharmoniker to be the first to bring concerts to cinemas in 3D, “Helge Gruenewald, Artistic Advisor, Berlin Philharmonic. I would certainly attend other 3D classical concerts because of having the best seat in the house and because of the price, although I suspect it could have an eventual effect on actual attendances in the theatre.

The Musical

My love of the film includes the musical following one of my first visits to the theatre, the West End production of Irma La Deuce, subsequently made into a film. Another early experience was The Boyfriend which I saw on stage at Streatham and then took my birth and care mother’s and their elder sister to see. I enjoy seeing the film when it appears on TV from Time to Time.

I saw the London production of Hair and bought both long play records but was greatly disappointed with the film version. The musical love of my life is Miss Saigon which I saw in the West End Theatre four times and am thrilled to learn a film will come to cinemas later this year. I have Tapes of show which I must convert to a CD . I hope I will not be disappointed.

The most impressive and enjoyable theatrical experience musical remains Les Miserables, seen in the West End twice, having to leave the first showing immediately before the end to join others to view Miss Saigon. I have a DVD of concert version of the show

I missed Cats with a cold and cough although I had a ticket which was resold at the door. I saw Joan Littlewood Oh What a Luvely War at Stratford although the film is not as effective as the stage performance I saw Blood Brothers at Newcastle’s theatre Royal and the 15th year edition at the Richmond Theatre on the Green only two years ago. Minor entertainment but enjoyable none the less was Five Guys named Mo. Seen on stage and then on film with the DVD on hand is Evita where I liked the film better than the live performance

I won a weekend trip to London from the Daily Mail which included two night’s hotel in central London, diner one evening and a trip to a the theatre which was to see a musical about life on a train whose name I cannot remember. 42nd Street but did I see in London, or locally?
There was the life of Dusty Springfield seen in Newcastle and another musical celebrating an era in London with a half price ticket where again I cannot remember the title. I did not get to see Abba the show but enjoyed the Movie in theatre and enjoy the DVD. It remains great fun.

Just before Christmas I saw the stage version of White Christmas half a century since first seeing the film. It is an usual other way round where stage productions are then made into films. I must have seen other stage musicals. I must check on programmes to see if this has been so.

When it comes to musicals on film the list is long one and by no means comprehensive. I begin with those where I have the DVD or commercial video. I saw the film. The Sound of Music with colleagues from Oxfordshire Children’s department in the city when it was first released and then took my mother etc to see. I was sent the video as part of some offer. This is perhaps the most well known. I also took “the aunties” I took them into central London to see My Fair Lady on film having seen the film first separately. A recent favourite is Moulin Rouge which I saw in a theatre full of noisy teenagers in Sutton and later enjoyed seeing again at Croydon and view the DVD at regular intervals for the colour and the music.

The most interesting musical because of the seriousness of its subject remains Cabaret, seen in cinema theatre and have the DVD. These are the only musicals I have on DVD, I cannot remember what I have on video


Films involving Jazz and swing became important from the early 1950’s with the Benny Goodman story the most influential together with the Glenn Miller Story. St Louis Blues, Orchestra Wives, The Band Wagon Paris Blues, Young Man with a Horn, High Society(Louis Armstrong), The Gene Krupa Story, Jazz on a Summer’s day seen day after prison is included but is not a musical as such. Its Trad dad. Lady Sings the Blues, the life of Billie Holiday and Nashville with is County and Western but is included here because it remains one of my favourite films along with the Coal Miner‘s Daughter.

Films involving serious music are usually seen when ever they appear again on TV The Great Caruso, The Student Prince come to mind, Broadening the category I also include Carmen Jones, the Beggars Opera, Rhapsody in Blue, The Vagabond King, An American in Paris, Porgy and Bess and the Tales of Hoffman. Originally I included April in Paris, Flashdance and Amadeus, until deciding that the genre had to defined as a story told through music and dance.

The Contemporary music category must begin with Rock around the Clock, and Elvis Presley films Jailhouse Rock, King Creole, GI Blues,, Blue Hawaii, Fun in Acapulco, The Young ones and Summer Holiday with Cliff Richard, Beatles films such as, A Hard Day’s Night, Help and, Yellow Submarine. The who with Tommy. The Buddy Holly Story, The Blues Brothers, and Blues Brothers 2000., Fame, Pink Floyd and the Wall, and something called Espresso Bongo set in the Coffee Bar era. There are several others which I will try and remember

There has been a long tradition of films intended for the family with the Wizard of Oz the most well known Mary Poppins, Bednobs and Broomsticks, Dumbo, Hans Christian Andersen, Oliver, The Lady is a Tramp, One hundred and one Dalmatians, The Jungle Book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Aristocrats. Willy Wonka and Chocolate Factory come to mind among those I have seen, More recently there is the Lion King and for teenagers the High School series.

The Comedy Musical was personified with the Bob Hope and Bing Crosby Carmen Miranda Road movies - The Road to Singapore, Road to Zanzibar and Road to Morocco, Road to Rio, Road to Bali, Road to Hong Kong but not seen Road to Hollywood.

The list of others where I am yet to try an categorises is much longer than I first anticipated. The Broadway Melody, Showboat, Annie Get your Gun, Rio Rita, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Gigi, Chicago, The Producers, Ship Ahoy, Springtime in the Rockies and Yankee Doodle Dandy, Cabin in the Sky. The Desert Song and Shine on Harvest Moon, Anchor’s away and The Bells of Saint Mary’s, State Fair, Zigfield Follies, Blue Skies, and Ester Parade.

The Paleface,( Son of Paleface), On the Town, Annie get you Gun and Tea for Two, and On Moonlight Bay, The Belle of New York and Sailor Beware. Call me Madam, Calamity Jane, Kiss me Kate, Brigadoon, New Faces, Rose Marie, A Star is Born, There’s no business like show business, Hit the Deck, Kismet. Oklahoma and the Tender Trap.

Carousel and the Eddie Duchin Story, The King and I, Funny Face, The Pyjama Game and Pal Joey. Silk Stockings, South Pacific, Some Like it Hot, The Belles are Ringing, Can Can, Flower Drum Song, Gypsy. The State Fair, Robin and the Seven Hoods, Frankie and Johnny. Camelot Thoroughly Modern Millie, Funny Girl, Star, Hullo Dolly, Paint Your Wagon, Sweet Charity and Scrooge.

Song of Norway, Man of La Mancha, Bugs Malone, Slipper and the Rose. Grease. The Last Waltz Xandu, Annie, Best Whorehouse in Texas, Yentl, A Chorus Line. Sister Act. Nine Cleo, Follies I have not been a great fan of Singing in the Rain or Guys and Dolls. I am sure there are many others including the Busby Berkeley films seen at the Wallington Odeon in the 1940’s and 1950‘s

There is one other to mention which is the reason why I am writing this piece. It begins with a Confession in that at the time I was not taken with West Side Story. During last week the film versions appeared on a Sky film channel in HD so I recorded and then gave the film my undivided attention. As with many musical it is ad adaptation of an older story, Romeo and Juliet and star crossed lovers. The film won ten of the 11 nominated Academy awards.

The film opens in an unusual way with an orchestral introduction and no moving pictures. The scene is then set between two street gangs. The Jets are a Gang created from the established neighbourhood with includes a range of former immigrant groups while the Sharks represent the Newcomers, Puerto Ricans. The Jets resent the newcomers on principle and make it is evident they are not welcome to meet together anywhere on their territory, They have the support of the local police in this respect. While the fighting is undertaken by the young men their girls support, encourage and sometimes incite in the gang behaviour.

While the story is condemnatory of the behaviour there is an element in the film and original story which approves the codes of honour involved. The tension between the two gangs has been building leading to the situation of a once and for all showdown being arranged by representatives who will meet at a local candy/drug store. The co founder of the Jets has left to work at the store and dreams of having a girl friend and his life changing (Something’s Coming) The ongoing gang leader, Russ Tamblyn eventually persuades Tony, the other co founder to join the meting to arrange the fight.

The leader of the Puerto Rican gang Bernardo takes his sister Maria played by Natalie Wood and girl friend played by Rita Moreno to the local dance where both gangs enjoy themselves but keep apart from each other. An attempt is made at integration during which time Tony and Maria meet and fall instantly in love and leads to one of the well known songs from the Musical Maria. This leads to a debate about whether the Puerto Rican should keep the ethnic identity or attempt to integrate other cultures have done in the past, although to varying degrees with the USA even if they continue to live in ghetto type districts. It remains one of the great problems that the USA likes to present itself as unified and integrated society when in fact it has always been a collection of different cultures each protecting and furthering their identifies. What cannot be argued against is that loyalty and commitment to nation does bind them all. It is a paradox.

After the dance the couple meet in secret and this lead to the other major number from the show Tonight. When the parties meet to determine the form of the fight Tony has been influenced by his relationship with Marie to try and limit the violence with the suggestion of a fight between two leaders or their champions. Expecting that Tony would be successful Maria becomes excited when at work and sings I feel pretty. She then persuades Tony to try and stop the conflict altogether.

At the arranged venue for the fight Tony’s efforts are ignored and Bernardo kills the other cofounder the Jets. In his grief and anger Tony then kills Bernardo.

Tony goes into hiding, meets up with Maria and arranges to run away with her, returning to the store where he hides. Maria is held up and sends Anita, Bernardo’s girl friend to tell Tony that she has been delayed. At the store she is roughed up and threatened with rape for her efforts and as a consequence she tells Tony that Maria has been killed in revenge because of her friendship by the best friend of Bernardo. Tony is distraught and goes into the Street telling Chino to take his life. He then sees Maria and realises she is alive but when going towards her he is killed by Chino. The musical ends with the sentimental notion that because of these events the war between the two gangs will be brought to an immediate If government, national and local and strong, united and purposeful they can keep a lid on such deeply held differences often by getting rid off or making inactive the very people they previously used to undertake the dirty work. Often those previously leaders or in commanding positions are given political and other positions and they also often have the education and natural intelligence and understanding to make truce, armistice and peace agreements work. There is never immediate sentimental solutions.

However I can see why the work was so popular and achieved critical success. The music, lyrics and dance is integrated to a high level. and stands the test of time. I understand there are many differences between the film and the original stage show. Unlike Moulin Rouge there was however no inclination to immediate get the DVD and look forward to replays. Why is this so.

Moulin Rouge is also based on an internationally familiar work. In this instance La Triviata where a small group of bohemian artists struggle to make ends meet sharing garret and where one falls in love with someone who becomes terminally ill. My bohemian instincts, attraction to the Montmartre district of Paris, the Parisian nightlight life given the film a good head start over West Side Story.

Ewan McGregor a writer finds becomes friends with others sharing the same tenement in Paris close to the Moulin Rouge. They are developing a play for the owner of nightclub and because of an accident to one of their number involved McGregor and persuade the owner to accept him as the writer.

The owner played by the magnificent Jim Broadbent is seeking funds from the British Duke of Roxburgh who wants to have the star of the Moulin Rouge, Satine, played by Nicole Kidman who is experienced in spending the night with those who further her career and support the establishment. By mistake she mistakes McGregor for the Duke and puts up with his poetry reading and they fall in love. Without knowing this Broadbent in effects sells Satine to the Duke and obtains the funds for a complete refurbishment of the theatre and to make the new play into a great spectacle.

McGregor creates a work based on their true life situation in which Satine chooses love rather than wealth and position an ending which the Duke understandably dislikes. He puts up with putting of from Satine and finding the two in compromising situations. The Moulin Rouge owner then discovers the truth and is horrified because in order to ensure his possession of the girl and control over the show the Duke has required the deeds of the Theatre and the final word about the contents of the work. To make the situation worse, Satine and become ill but Broadbent has until now kept the seriousness from her. He now tells her the truth the situation and that in order to save everyone she must pretend not to love him. She rejects McGregor and agrees to spend the night with the Duke and agrees to changing the ending of the play after another jealous cast member alerts the Duke to the true situation. She changes her mind and the Duke tries to rape her but is prevented by the intervention of McGregor and as in West Side Story to plan to run away together.

In desperation Broadbent tells Satine that she is dying o consumption and that the Duke will kill McGregor unless she performs in the show and stops seeing McGregor. In anger McGregor attends the opening performance intending to give money to Satine for their affair todate and in the melee both end up on stage with the Duke’s bodyguard trying to kill McGregor. At one point Broadbent stops the Duke trying to kill McGregor directly. The show is a great success and then Satine collapses and dies. McGregor is seen in his garret writing his great work of truth and love, the Bohemian ideals.

The films continues to appeal to me for two reasons. The music is great often using very known music and lyrics in a creative and amusing way, particularly the South of Music The Hills are alive, and Children of the Revolution( T Rex) and Like Virgin(Madonna). Others remakes are Nature Boy (Nat King Cole), Lady Marmalade (Labelle), Because we Can (Fatboy Slim), Material Girl (Madonna), Smells like teen spirit (Nirvana), Diamonds are a girls best friend, (Marilyn Monroe), Diamond Dogs (David Bowie), One Day (Ill Fly away) Randy Crawford, Roxanne(Police), The Show must go on (Queen) Young Song (Elton John).

The other reason is the glorious colour photography. The combination of the two and the setting make this a film to enjoy time and time again,