Classic FM Live at Woburn Abbey
Saturday 28th July 2007
My Dad and I went to the
Classic FM
Live live concert held at Woburn Abbey on Saturday 28th July 2007. It
was quite a spectacular venue for an outdoor concert; it featured a
wonderful combination of popular classics, music from the movies, and
famous arias, alongside favourites associated with the “Last Night of
the Proms”. There were highlights from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side
Story, which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary, to mark this
special occasion Universal Records had recorded a new West Side Story
album, which featured Hayley Westenra and Vittorio Grigolo, both of whom
appeared in this concert, they performed a selection of songs from this
great musical. The English Nation Orchestra conducted by Paul Bateman
were playing, and they were very much on form too.
The presenters for
Classic FM were of course the broadcasting legend himself Simon Bates,
the voice of Classic the FM breakfast show, and Classic FM at the Movies
on Saturdays between 5 – 7pm, and the lovely Katie Derham. Co-presenter
of the ITV Lunchtime News with Alastair Stewart, and also co-presenter
of London Tonight.
Julian Lloyd Webber, widely regarded as one of the most creative
musicians of his generation, and brother of the famous Andrew Lloyd
Webber, performed on his amazing “Barjansky” stradivarious cello made in
c.1690! (I wonder how much that is insured for?) His performance was
flawless and as always he was a most animated performer to watch.
My 10 most favourite pieces
of music of the evening
William Tell Overture - Rossini
Spartacus (Adagio) - Katchaturian
Cello Concerto in E Minor - Elgar
Hedwig's Theme Harry Potter - Williams
Out of Africa (Theme) - John Barry
633 Squadron - Goodwin
Fanfare for the Common Man - Aaron Copland
Variations (I-IV) - Lloyd Webber
Somewhere (West Side Story) - Bernstein
Land of Hope and Glory - Elgar
What Katy did
Echoes 3 Royal Albert Hall London
Proms in the Park Milton
Keynes
Getting the mood!
Hayley Westenra on stage
