The Royal Gala Concert at Royal Festival Hall
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Thanks to JP Morgan (and a few others), last night saw the official reopening of Royal Festival Hall with the Royal Gala Concert featuring The London Philharmonic, a 600-strong chorus and yes you guessed it, Her Majesty The Queen.
Naturally, the program began with a few speeches and a few items of housekeeping.
"When The Queen arrives, please stand until she sits. At the interval, please stand until she leaves, and after the interval, please stand when she comes back into her box. And at the end of the concert, please stand as she and her party leave."
And so we all did, and it was really quite fun.
The music began with the National Anthem (sung by the choir and a few patriots), followed by a rousing version of Handel's Zadok the priest, which was written for the coronation of King George II (1727-1760).
Up next was the jewel in the crown of the evening (sorry) - British composer Henry Purcell's Come Ye Sons of Art & Sound the Trumpet - arranged to be a duet between the highly traditional choir The Sixteen and the highly lauded London Adventist Chorale (otherwise known as an incredible gospel choir).
After the high of Purcell, Edward Elgar's Introduction and Allegro was a bit of a bore, but as the composer who, according to the program "single-handedly put Britain back on the map after nearly a century and a half of floundering in the musical doldrums", it was right he was included.
The unlimited champagne at the interval got everyone inspired again, and we returned for the Fourth Movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, always a favourite. Only this time, the text was by Billy Bragg - further celebrating British culture.
At the end, the audience went to The Ballroom for the unveiling of the plaque commemorating the refurbishment of the Hall by The Queen, and applauded the woman who is in person just as you'd expect.
"When The Queen arrives, please stand until she sits. At the interval, please stand until she leaves, and after the interval, please stand when she comes back into her box. And at the end of the concert, please stand as she and her party leave."
And so we all did, and it was really quite fun.
The music began with the National Anthem (sung by the choir and a few patriots), followed by a rousing version of Handel's Zadok the priest, which was written for the coronation of King George II (1727-1760).
Up next was the jewel in the crown of the evening (sorry) - British composer Henry Purcell's Come Ye Sons of Art & Sound the Trumpet - arranged to be a duet between the highly traditional choir The Sixteen and the highly lauded London Adventist Chorale (otherwise known as an incredible gospel choir).
After the high of Purcell, Edward Elgar's Introduction and Allegro was a bit of a bore, but as the composer who, according to the program "single-handedly put Britain back on the map after nearly a century and a half of floundering in the musical doldrums", it was right he was included.
The unlimited champagne at the interval got everyone inspired again, and we returned for the Fourth Movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, always a favourite. Only this time, the text was by Billy Bragg - further celebrating British culture.
At the end, the audience went to The Ballroom for the unveiling of the plaque commemorating the refurbishment of the Hall by The Queen, and applauded the woman who is in person just as you'd expect.
Here Is The Writer : Sarah Western Balzer
Sarah Western Balzer is the managing director of HITC Life and is always on the lookout for reader-writers, so if you'd like to be one, make yourself known (sarah.western@hereisthecity.com). Sarah moved to London six years ago from New York but is originally from Florida, and still suntans like it's 1989. She is so grateful to the banker who introduced her to Here Is The City that she married him, and they live in Wapping with their son.
view more articles by Sarah Western Balzer
