Musicians are not strangers to PPE: many orchestral players wear hearing protection during rehearsals—and at post-concert after-parties (useful when avoiding drunken fans). However, few instrumentalists and singers, even those involved in hospital concerts and music therapy, are used to wearing masks. When members of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra donned black facewear for a recent broadcast from Prague’s Rudolfinum, the effect was striking.
It was also, unintentionally, rather comical. Having a gaping hole to gain access to the mouth —as woodwind and brass players need—presumably negates many of the protective qualities. Besides, any instrument that relies on breath to create sound (including voice) is not ideal to be around during a pandemic. There’s a reason why brass players often bring a towel on stage.
As we continue to navigate a semi-lockdown existence, ensembles such as the Czech Phil are taking an important interim step: the live-streamed concert. Many organisations, including the country-house opera companies, have been sharing archive performances, but now it’s possible for some performances to resume, albeit to empty halls.
This year’s Proms will comprise a mixture of formats, opening with the BBC Grand Virtual Orchestra, where performers contribute from their respective locations, and ending with a Last Night held at the Royal Albert Hall. Whether there will be any flag-waving prommers present remains to be seen.
Denne historien er fra June 17, 2020-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra June 17, 2020-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
