The Three Tenors
KJR readers will surely guess why I chose to listen to this Classic FM programme, excellently presented by Margaret Howard in association with the Sunday Express, which was recorded at 1pm on the same Sunday as above, when I then went on to listen to Jazz FM in the evening.
The show was held at Wembley Stadium the day previous, with James Levine (seen on the right of the photo below) conductor, and the Philharmonia Orchestra giving support to the three very fine opera singers, E luceran le stelle - Placido Domingo; One Day In The Blue - Jose Carreras and Nessum Dorma - Luciano Pavarotti.
About 50,000 attended the rain-soaked stadium, some paying £350 for the privilege. The medley was an improvement on their "Hyde Park" show, but for me to appreciate their talents, their voices sound best when I don't understand the words they are singing.
It is said that each will stand to make £10 million a piece at the end of their tour. I suggest therefore that each time prime minister John Major changes his rain-drenched suit, he reflects to change the policy of discriminating against Traditional jazz - England's true musical culture.
The novelty that Peter Aspden of the FT thought was needed to spice up the show, could quite easily have come from the above Robert Parker Jazz Classics series of tunes, and performed live by several improverished English traditional jazz bands currently playing the jazz circuit.
As long as people choose to fork out to listen to the Three Tenors, there is no reason for them to discontimue the "phenomenon" but they should find out that for themselves, perhaps by doing a concert in aid of traditional jazz accompanied by an English Traditional jazz band.
Who knows, Peter Aspden's "no" advice to them to stage a repeat Three Tenors performance here will be unfounded, and may even top the excitement that he saw at the same Stadium during the England v Germany semi-final football match.
See our St. George page on this web-site.
Ian King