On Saturday the 24th of July, BBC 4 broadcast a highlights programme of a special progressive rock-themed Proms concert. The live performance the week before on Radio 3 was the first time that prog had featured in the Proms (and it is still available on iPlayer and the Sounds app).
There is a certain irony in the whole endeavour. Prog was intended by its composers to infuse rock music with an orchestral sound, and its original musicians came from jazz and classical backgrounds rather than the more traditional Blues scene. Now it has come full circle with these classical orchestral interpretations. The concert, billed as an introduction to prog, was criticised by some prog aficionados online as featuring a too obvious setlist and focussing too heavily on the seventies, but the fact remains that these are the pieces and bands that the layperson would expect to be included.
It was particularly interesting to hear some of Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s pieces that were originally written for three-piece rock band and orchestra, such as Fanfare for the Common Man, performed without the rock ensemble. ELP’s surviving member Carl Palmer himself took over the drums in these mammoth reimaginings of their already elaborate progressive orchestrations, and yet somehow the acoustics of the Albert Hall —which are ideally suited to prog— made the enormous sound work. The instrumental side of prog wasn’t forgotten, with interpretations of material by bands like Soft Machine and Pink Floyd, and a stunning excerpt from Part 1 of Tubular Bells arranged and performed with skill and aplomb, deftly conducted by Robert Ames.
Genesis were represented by a superb version of Entangled with vocals by Guy Garvey (himself no stranger to prog with Elbow) and Jane Weaver, while Welsh musician Gruff Rhys (of Super Furry Animals) performed Living In the Past by Jethro Tull. Garvey also did admirable work on the King Crimson medley, bellowing the lyrics to 21st Century Schizoid Man through a megaphone. I wasn’t previously familiar with the new English female folk duo The Staves, but their vocals on a medley of Yes covers were ethereal. However, the highlight for me was Peter Hammill’s performance. Hammill’s vocals have always been something of a Marmite taste, but no-one can deny the majesty with which he keeps on going strong; here he provided a beautiful interpretation of Van De Graaf Generator’s Refugees.
The Proms are intended for the casual listener, and this selection was an excellent taster of the prog genre’s wide range, curated and presented by Stuart Maconie, who has detailed his obsession with prog in his books and on Radio 6’s Freak Zone. The concert was the perfect introduction to progressive music for those curious to find out more, but it was also a delight for fans of orchestral music or traditional prog, showcasing the power and innovativeness of this music. Considering that some of these pieces are now nearly sixty years old, it was startling to hear how fresh these full orchestral arrangements sounded. Highly recommended.--James R. Turner
