Settle in, wind the clock back, and enjoy as the Royal Albert Hall becomes a guilt-free chamber of nostalgia.
Together with Edwin Outwater in his first outing as the orchestra’s Principle Guest Conductor, the BBC Concert Orchestra returned to mark 100 years since the birth of Henry Mancini. Mancini is often cited as one of the greatest composers in the history of film, and became a leading light among Hollywood composers. He wrote many melodies for film and TV that have been loved for decades by children and adults alike. His works include the theme for The Pink Panther series, ‘Moon River’ from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the theme for the Peter Gunn series and many more. He won four Oscars, a Golden Globe, 20 Grammys and was awarded a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Award following his death in 1994. So to say he was a tad accomplished would be an understatement.
The composer’s daughter Monica Mancini says of her early impressions of her father’s career: “We were pretty oblivious to what Dad was writing; he wasn’t the kind of guy to sit at the living room piano, playing his music to adoring listeners. That changed in 1962 when he won two Oscars (for the Breakfast at Tiffany’s score, and separately for the song ‘Moon River’). As we were sitting around watching the ceremony on our small black-and-white TV, we got the feeling that he was a bigger deal than we thought.” Monica Mancini jetted over to be part of the concert and appeared as a guest vocalist. She sung a rousing rendition of ‘Moon River’ which was a classy nod to her father’s legacy.
With indulgent soaring horns and luscious sweeping strings, it was a chic but unstuffy concert. The xylophone player in particular deserves a mention as he had some complex melodies to perform which required skill and precision. Along the way we also heard the gritty sounds of the LA streets and the colours and rhythms of Latin America, as well as popular comedy and action themes. Other well-known composers’ hits were included in the programme. Burt Bacharach’s ‘The Look of Love’ and ‘Alfie’ were well-received, and the latter song was performed by guest vocalist Rachel Johnson. ‘Soul Bossa Nova’ aka the catchy theme from Austin Powers was the most popular tune of the night. People were bopping in the boxes to this, and there was a collective beat of people’s feet tapping along to it. Oliver Tompsett rounded off the trio of guest vocalists with bouncy performances of ‘Music to Watch Girls by’ and ‘It’s Not Unusual’.
TV’s Mel Giedroyc hosted the concert and kept proceedings flowing with a touch of humour and a dollop of wit. Her pink outfit was a fun homage to Mancini’s Pink Panther theme, and her banter with the audience kept the crowd amused. The vantage point of my seat allowed me a clear view of her teleprompter, so it was interesting to note what was scripted and what she ad-libbed. The ad-libbed material was good fun and added to the night overall.
Mancini came to represent an era of easy listening, so the inclusion of stylish but comforting melodies like ‘Lujon’ in the programme were appreciated. ‘Lujon’ is the kind of piece you may not recognise by name but if you put it into YouTube you would say “Ah yes!” as soon as you hear it. There were a few other similar melodies performed i.e. ones you may not know by name but immediately recognise upon hearing them. One example was ‘The Shake’ by Laurie Johnson. The name did not ring a bell, but upon starting it was instantly recognisable as the theme from The Avengers TV series (the one with Diana Rigg in a catsuit, not the Marvel series as Giedroyc humorously pointed out to the younger members of the audience). I am a great believer that living in the past is not healthy. But at the same I believe the past is a warm and cosy place which is nice to revisit every once in a while. The concert is broadcast by BBC Radio 3 and on Radio 2 on 13th October. You can listen on BBC Sounds and watch it on BBC iPlayer for 12 months. So settle in, wind the clock back, and enjoy as the Royal Albert Hall becomes a guilt-free chamber of nostalgia.