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The Radio 3 Boards > Admin Boards > Viewable archives > Proms 2007 > Sir Malcolm Sargent
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Author Topic: Sir Malcolm Sargent  (Read 345 times)
pim_derks
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« on: 20:28:37, 15-07-2007 »
I was moved by Lord Attenbourough's tribute to Sir Malcolm Sargent at last evening's Prom concert.



It reminded me of the fact that I have a few interview fragments of Sir Malcolm and a recording of the Finale of the 1966 Last Night of the Proms. This was the last Henry Wood Promenade Concert conducted by Sir Malcolm.

Here are a few audio fragments:

Sir Malcolm Sargent talks about his Prom debut (interview):

http://www.sendspace.com/file/a6ppsn

The opening movement from the Sea-Songs Suite, recorded at the Last Night of the Proms on 17 September 1966. The announcer is John Roberts:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/paskmh

The beginning of Sir Malcolm's speech (with three cheers for Sir Henry Wood):

http://www.sendspace.com/file/i1dvdr

The conclusion of the speech, with Sir Malcolm paying tribute to Vyvian Sutherland, Hon. Secretary of the Henry Wood Proms Circle. This was her 60th Last Night of the Proms. There are also three cheers for the BBC:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/2rwyad

Smiley
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"People hate anything well made. It gives them a guilty conscience." John Betjeman
smittims
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« Reply #1 on: 09:34:51, 19-07-2007 »
Thanks,pim,I recall the 1966 Last Night .It included Delius 'Paris' I think,between the Pomp and Circumstance and the Sea Songs.

I think Sargent is overdue for a re-appraisal. Popular almost to the point of idolatry during his lifetime ,he was also a very controversial figure who made many enemies,and few of his recordings are currently available. To many younger listeners he may be no more than a name.

But on his day he was an interpreter of great intensity,as recordings testify. I am thinking of an 'Apostles' ,with Own Brannigan a superb Judas, and a 'Mass of Life' sung in English and with ,curiously ,a bassoon instead of a bass oboe,but nevertheless some wonderful singing.
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autoharp
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« Reply #2 on: 09:50:37, 19-07-2007 »
I've always had a high regard for Sargent's recording of the Planets. Is it generally considered one of the better versions ?
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TimR-J
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« Reply #3 on: 10:01:13, 19-07-2007 »
Terrific clips, Pim - thanks!
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George Garnett
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« Reply #4 on: 10:10:19, 19-07-2007 »
Quote from: smittims on 09:34:51, 19-07-2007
It included Delius 'Paris' I think,between the Pomp and Circumstance and the Sea Songs.

That has, of course, sent me scrabbling to look through my old Proms Prospectuses Smiley. That one looks like the 1965 Last Night, Smittims, which went:

Smetana: Bartered Bride Overture
Verdi:  'O don fatale' from Don Carlos
Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on theme of Paganini
Britten: Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell
Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance No 1
Delius: Paris
and then the Sea Songs, Rule Britannia, Jerusalem etc

(Josephine Veasey, Ann Schein)

The 1966 one (maybe you went to both?) was:

Rossini: Overture, Journey to Rheims
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No 3 (Martha Argerich, no less, playing what I always think of as 'her' concerto)  
Stravinsky: Firebird Suite (it doesn't say which, the shorter one presumably)
Elgar: P and C No 1
Holst: Beni Mora
and then Sea Songs etc.

Monica Sinclair that year (now there was a true contralto)  
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #5 on: 10:44:12, 19-07-2007 »
My impression is that although Malcolm Sargent was worshipped "to the point of idolatry" by some audiences, and certainly by some amateur choirs (I've met ancient ex-choir people who think music has never been the same since), he was not much admired by most professional musicians, and positively loathed by many. I must say I've always found him somewhat repulsive as a personality.
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Don Basilio
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Era solo un mio sospetto
« Reply #6 on: 11:27:23, 19-07-2007 »
I think the bitchiest comment I have heard attributed to Thomas Beecham was about Karajan to the effect:

Yes, Karajan.  A sort of musical Malcolm Sargent.
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To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance
smittims
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Posts: 258
« Reply #7 on: 11:33:41, 19-07-2007 »
Thanks,George, clearly my memory had juxtaposed 1965 and 1966, a not uncommon  experience for me. Thanks for straightening it out.
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