National Anthem - 2006/06/14 11:31
Although there is little doubt that all the contenders are good, rousing Scottish tunes there can - and should - only be one winner. Flower of Scotland!
It has to be said however, that the "interesting" arrangements given to this -and the other contenders failed to do justice to either the songs or the unquestionable talents of the orchestra.
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sgorrabhreac
Posts: 1
Re:National Anthem - 2006/06/14 22:49
Whilst I can't agree with your choice IndependentScotland, my vote goes to Scots Wa Hae, I certainly can agree with you that the arrangements of all five anthem contenders was shocking!!
Having been at the Usher Hall performance last Friday I must say it was one of the worst RSNO Concerts I've been to - and not just becuase of the way the Orchestra treated these 5 "anthems". If it wasn't bad enough having marches played far too fast and trying to turn Scotland the Brave into the 20th Century Fox Fanfare, we had to endure the rubbish that was Mavis in Las Vegas and Arnold's Scottish Dances.
Fair enough, it's all a matter of taste, but surely for a Last Night of the Proms concert we deserved something a bit more "popular" that the whole audience could hum along to (if they so wished) rather than this dischordant cacophany!
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Andy D
Posts: 4
Re:National Anthem - 2006/06/15 10:04
I couldn't disagree more with sgorrabhreac. I was at the concert with my kids and we all thought it was a great concert. does s/he think Mavis in Las Vegas was dischordant?? I must admit when I saw a piece by Maxwell Davies on the programme I did warn my kids that they might have to sit quiet and not fidget too much - but they loved it - saxophone, screaming trumpets and all. my one disappointment was the audience singing - it sounded like we were all too embarassed to make a decent noise. I think I'll have to go to the Glasgow concert just to see if they can do better in the West....
my vote goes to Flower of Scotland!
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Shos Ten
Posts: 16
Re:National Anthem - 2006/06/15 10:45
I wasn't at the Edinburgh concert but I'm going to the Glasgow Last Night - its always great fun and we all sing vociferously! Maxwell Davies "Orkney Wedding With Sunrise" usually goes down a storm at the Last Night (my wife and I are Proms regulars) so I'm looking forward to hearing this new (is it new?) piece - I hear its quite jazzy?
I don't agree with sgorrabhreac's opinion of Malcolm Arnold being "dischordant cacophany" - surely there's very few 20th Century composers as popular and tuneful as Arnold...I love his music - even the English dances!!
I don't mind the arrangements on the recordings here - although you can't hear the audience sing. C'mon Glasgow, let's show them how its done on 1 July!!
PS Looking forward to Lord of the Rings Symphony - only a week and a bit to go!!!!! Got all three on DVD and the soundtracks - and the books!
Post edited by: Shos Ten, at: 2006/06/15 11:50
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Dadranny
Posts: 14
Re:National Anthem - 2006/06/15 15:46
I want Scotland the Brave to win. Flower of Scotland's miserable, and I couldn't imagine Scots Wha Hae or A Man's a Man sung at the footie.
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