Rodgers,
Hammerstein and Hart can continue to rest easy with their music under the baton
of John Wilson, whose constant energy and jubilant personality actuated his
orchestra, and vocalists, into delivering an exemplary and thoroughly
entertaining performance.
This was the sixth of twelve performances on
their current tour, ‘A Celebration of Rodgers And Hammerstein and Rodgers And
Hart’, which features popular songs and instrumentals from their newest album, Rodgers and Hammerstein: At the Movies.
Previous tours and performances at the Proms have celebrated MGM Film Musicals
(2009), Rodgers and Hammerstein Film Musicals (2010), Hollywood Film Musicals
(2011), and this summer, along with semi-staging My Fair Lady, they performed a both moving and energetic program
entitled ‘The Broadway Sound’. Having seen this performance live at the Proms
in August, the brilliance of the conductor, orchestra and vocalists has
remained fresh in my mind.
Solo vocalists Sir Thomas Allen, Annalene
Beechey, Kim Criswell and Julian Ovenden joined John Wilson and his orchestra
in a spectacular awakening of hit musical songs, along with some less familiar
tunes to make the program more varied and less predictable (for instance, ‘Flower
Drum Song’ from Rodgers And Hart’s Allegro).
All four vocalists had the pleasure of performing solos and duets, before
‘ending’ the performance with a full company number (‘June Is Bustin’ Out All
Over’, Carousel).
It was, of course, right for the orchestra to
start the night with the spirited overture of Oklahoma!, probably the most well-known of all the Rodgers And
Hammerstein musicals. John Wilson immediately took control of the orchestra,
and indeed of the whole concert hall, which he labeled “the best acoustic in
the land”. The orchestra, as usual, showed off their phenomenal instrumental
skills with polished rhythms, controlled dynamics and did not put a tone out of
place. This aesthetic was to remain for the rest of the concert.
Then on walks a dapper, dark-haired tenor,
Julian Ovenden, who won the audience over immediately with a believable
performance of the crowd-favourite, ‘Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’’. Oh, what a
beautiful voice. He followed up that solo later with a heartfelt rendition of
‘Younger Than Springtime’ (South Pacific),
and I was pleased to see him perform not another ballad, but an upbeat,
jazzed-up, Sinatra version of ‘The Most Beautiful Girl In The World’ (originally
from Jumbo).
Annalene Beechey joined Julian onstage (in the
first of many dresses) to sing ‘People Will Say We’re In Love’, which on the
whole was acted and sung admirably, however Annalene’s higher register often
sat feebly alongside the power of the orchestra and her fellow singer.
Nevertheless, her subtle soprano voice blended well with Kim Criswell’s big
alto voice later in ‘I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair’. It was
difficult not to compare her performances of ‘Falling In Love With Love’ and ‘I
Have Confidence’ with Sierra Boggess’ charismatic, operatic versions of them,
however I did enjoy the sincere and dainty manner in which she delivered the
latter. Annalene did win ‘best dressed’ of the night, more specifically with
her long, purple dress with twinkling jewels around the middle (first worn in
‘If I Loved You’).
We all know Kim Criswell can deliver a big jazz
number, often competing with the loud brassy sounds of the trumpets (like in
‘The Lady Is A Tramp’), but in later solos she proved to be a versatile actress
and a technically versatile alto, showing that this performer lives and
breathes musical theatre. Her comedic performance of ‘To Keep My Love Alive’ (A Connecticut Yankee), with her
effortless vocal slides and bitter character sparked roaring laughter from the
audience, and her contrasting sensuous, tranquil tones in ‘Little Girl Blue’ (Jumbo) brought thoughtful silence to the
stands. This number was made extra-special by the delicate sounds of the harp,
solo horn and flutes. Duet of the night had to be Kim and Julian’s performance
of ‘I Wish I Were In Love Again’ (Babes
In Arms), as they performed it with such a glowing fondness for their
profession.
Sir Thomas Allen gave profound and heartfelt
performances of ‘This Nearly Was Mine’ (South
Pacific) and ‘Some Enchanted Evening’, acting out Hammerstein’s lyrics
beautifully. But it was his performance of ‘Come Home’ (Allegro) that spoke to me the most, showing a sense of vulnerability
and sorrow, rather than desperation. This sense of vulnerability was created by
the soft tones in the higher register of his voice, all-the-while managing to
maintain control over his pitch brilliantly.
The best thing about John Wilson’s programs is
that he devotes a lot of time to the orchestra, enabling them to show their
true colours without having to accompany a soloist. Having heard them perform
‘Slaughter On Tenth Avenue’ (On Your Toes)
at the Proms, I was excited to see it appear at the end of the first half.
Andrew Haveron (lead violinist) performed a lyrical and clean solo of the first
theme on a couple of occasions, while the five-woodwind players on the back row
traded their usual instruments for saxophones to lead the second jazzier theme.
Other instrumentals included ‘The Carousel Waltz’, to which John Wilson enjoys
dancing on the podium to, and the Main Title of ‘The Sound of Music’. The
prominent brass and rhythmic kit and percussion, as usual, brought vibrant
character and sound to each number, while the strings and woodwind elegantly
held each number together.
Thunderous applause followed the full company
number and after some thankful bows, John Wilson encouraged the audience to
sing along in the notorious encore, ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ (Carousel). The audience responded with
eagerness and enthusiasm, uniting with the performers to sing and hear this
last song in stereo.
As I walked outside into the crowds of older
people leaving the concert hall on this Friday night, I saw fellow students
stumbling prematurely from bar-to-bar. I chuckled to myself, for I was drunk in
a different way. I was drunk on the pleasing music of Rodgers, Hammerstein and
Hart, and on the sensational sounds of John Wilson and the John Wilson Orchestra.
(A shorter, edited version was published on University of Nottingham's Impact Magazine's website on 31/10/12 - http://www.impactnottingham.com/2012/10/live-review-john-wilson-the-john-wilson-orchestra-nottingham-royal-concert-hall-261012)
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