by For many, the banner, which is proud of classical music at the annual Jamboree, is proud and a celebration of the common heritage. The discomfort of others this year may have been sharper than promenaders who drove to South Kensington, the streets with the flag hordes, which had come into the city to support the right-wing extremist Tommy Robinson.
In the Royal Albert Hall, however, all good -natured inclusiveness was, with pennants from all over the world to say a sea from Great Britain and the EU. Perhaps the organizers of diversity hoped to conquer in a HodgePodge program, in which 20 or or so-so-so-to-on composers fought for attention.
There was inevitably well and bad. A definitive plus was the conductor Elim Chan, who was born in Hong Kong, who was a happy debut last night. As a cracker on the podium, she piloted her armed forces through a series of orchestra and choir showcases. There was Mussorgsky’s first attempt on the bare mountain in one night, a turmoil of imaginative ticks and quirks for those who were familiar with Rimsky-Korsakov’s interventionist reconconization. Dukas’ Sorcerer’s Apprentice worked his magic, and there was a ribbing report on Schostakovich’s festive overture, whose Soviet technologyolor brilliance like John Williams in steroids.
Another asset was the British soprano Louise Alder, who provided a sparkling jewelry from Faust and a deeply felt Vilja from the happy widow with exquisite top nodes and a relaxed, communicative way. Usually, Britannia! She even turned my fair wife into a credible Eliza Doolittle in a medley.
Related: “The cultural landscape is decimated”: Louise Alder on stage fright, art funding and the last night of the proms
There was a moving farewell to the trumpeter Alison Balsom, who, at only 46, rejected her retirement to the lack of repertoire. Hummel’s amiable concert showed her best in the galloping final. There were also finds, including Arthur Benjamins Elgarian Storm Cantate ‘Cantate, which was composed for Hitchcocks The Man, who knew too much with a climatic pelvis Crash to mask the sound of an assassin ball.
On the minus side, new music felt a bit marginalized. After six minutes, Camille Pépin’s fireworks did what it said on the can, but while Rachel Portmans The Gathering Tree had a catchy Faux folk melody, it was followed by an awkward Word setting. An sousted classic arrangement of Queens 50-year-old Bohemian Rhapsody brought more laughter than goose bumps, although Brian May appeared on the guitar and Roger Taylor Banging Britain’s largest gong.
For celebrity contributions, it was up to the comedian and the strict winner Bill Bailey to save the day and play a common typewriter of the same name in Leroy Anderson’s same name. “It’s in one, isn’t it?” He joked before he later dipped Syne on the Albert Hall organ for Auld. Is there anything the man can’t do?
• Listen again on BBC sounds by October 12th
