Gershwin Gala with the John Wilson Orchestra BBC Proms

Hello, and a very warm welcome from the Royal Albert Hall to those

of you who've just joined us, and a very warm welcome back

to those of you who've already been with us for Proms Extra.

I'm Katie Derham, and over the next two hours we'll be bringing you some

of the 20th century's most loved music, courtesy of the incredible,

electric writing partnership of George and Ira Gershwin.

Tonight, George's music and his brother Ira's lyrics, will be

brought to life here in the Hall by the ever-popular

John Wilson Orchestra, conducted by the man himself.

The players will be joined by John Wilson favourites -

soloists Louise Dearman, Matthew Ford and Julian Ovenden,

The music will be known the world over,

but incredibly the original sheet music only exists for six

of the 18 pieces, something that presented a bit

of a problem at the planning stages of this Prom!

But fear not, as John Wilson has a big passion for reconstructing

lost film scores and he's spent months working with a team

of collaborators to transcribe those 12 missing pieces,

using archives and original movie soundtracks.

And all of that work means that we'll be listening to some classics

that haven't been performed live by an orchestra since their original

Here comes the leader of the John Wilson Orchestra, John Mills.

We begin with the overture from the 1945 George Gershwin

It's an opulent medley of Gershwin's finest music,

including the famous tune that gave the film its title.

Baton here he is, he doesn't need any introduction, John Wilson to

lead us in this evening of music by George and Ira Gershwin.

# Now I'm old enough to cast a fewer votes, I'm going out to sew a few

oats. # Don't you dare

to handle me with care # Don't you dare

to handle me with care # Don't you dare

to handle me with care # When I was born, they found

a silver spoon in my mouth # And so I always

had the best of care # When winter came up north,

of course they motored me south # And so I always #

had the best of care # Life was just a bore

till it dawned on me # If I wanted to be a man among men

# I'd have to be manhandled now and then.

# Don't you dare to handle me with care

# But you know that there's no-one but you!

# Even when love seems black and blue?

# Always there'll be a happy ending in view!

# All that I know is you'd be hard to replace,

# Where else in all the world such loveliness and grace?

# The poet often chanted the love he found divine,

# But never was he granted a lady love like mine!

# Deep down, deep down inside my secret heart knows

# The more and more my rapture grows!

# Bigging today, you'll find it nice # The quickest way to Paradise

# When you practice # Here's the thing to do

# Simply say as you go. Amazing solos from members of the

John Wilson Orchestra. The trumpet players on their feet, trombone, and

an amazing piano solo by Ian Buckle. # Just try it,

and I'll start a riot, # I'm certain, It's

the final curtain. # Don't want to hear

from and cheerful Pollyannas, # Don't want to hear from any

cheerful Pollyannas, # Who tell me love will find

a way, it's all bananas. # They're writing songs

of love, but not for me, # A lucky star's above,

but not for me, # Than any Russian

play could guarantee. # I was a fool to fall,

and get that way, # Hi ho!

Alas! # Hello!

# How are you? # How's the folks?

# What's new? # I'm great!

# That's good! # Huh-huh!

# Touch wood! # Well well!

# what say? # How've you been?

# Nice day! # How's things?

# What's new? # That's fine!

# How are you? # Nice weather we're having but it

gives me such a pain # I've taken my umbrella so I hope

it doesn't rain. # Well, hey'ho!

# That's life! # What's new?

# How's the wife? # Got to run!

# Oh my! # Ta-ta!

# Olive oil! # And then it happened that one day

they chanced to meet again! # That they had both developed

in ten years there was no doubt, # And so of course they had

an awful lot to talk about! # Hello!

# How are you? # How's the folks?

# What's new? # I'm great!

# That's good! # Huh-huh!

# Touch wood! # Well well!

# what say? # How've you been?

# Nice day! # How's things?

# What's new? # That's fine!

# How are you? # Ta-ta!

# Olive oil! # Before they met again,

some twenty years they had to wait; # This time it happened up above,

inside Saint Peter's gate! # A harp each one was carrying,

and both were wearing wings, # And this is what they said as they

were strumming on the strings; # Hello!

# How are you? # How's the folks?

# What's new? # Well, hey'ho!

# That's life! # What's new?

# How's the wife? # Got to run!

# Oh my! # Ta-ta!

# Olive oil! # If you want this

old world on a string # Put on your dancing

shoes # Or shall we dance

with never a care? # They all said we'd never get

together # They all laughed and how

# But Ho Ho Ho # Who's got the last laugh now?

Matthew Ford and Louise Dearman recreating the roles played by Fred

Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 1937 Gershwin film.

Bringing the first half of this to an end but don't worry, plenty more

music in the second half, just moments away.

John Wilson returning to the stage, bringing his orchestra to their feet

to the great delight of the audience here at the Royal Albert Hall. It

might be his eighth combat the audience never tire of the music of

John Wilson -- it might be his eighth Prom, but the audience never

tire. What a glorious end to the first

half of the concert. And now, let's crack

on with the second half. John Wilson, the John

Wilson orchestra, soloists Louise Dearman,

Matthew Ford and Julian Ovenden, plus the Maida Vale Singers,

bringing us more of George and Ira Gershwin's

stunning music. We'll be hearing the

likes of Funny Face, Let's Kiss and Make Up,

'S Wonderful, and the iconic ballet And here he comes. John Wilson back

on stage here at the Royal Albert Hall. For this very special Gershwin

Prom. # We must have music in the land

# For everybody loves a band # A good old rousing melody

# Is a joy and inspiration # The tune can stir the nation

# Music so master take command # Our hearts will beat to greet the

band. # Flag unfurled

# We can face the world. # Wheel or give a cheer as we stand

# To the man with the stick in his hand

# Hey, lead # er, strike up the band!

# Thank you dear your modesty reveals to me

# If I had your funny face appeals to me

# Please don't think suddenly gone mad

# You have all the qualities of Peter Pan

# I'd go far before I'd find a sweeter pan

# I love your funny face. # For your QT with more than beauty

# You've got a lot of personality for me

# You fill the air with smiles # For miles and miles and miles

# Though you're no Mona Lisa # For worlds I'd not replace your

sunny, funny smile. # You're not exotic

# But so exotic # You're much too much

# If you can cook the way you look # I'd swing the ocean wide

# Just to have you by my side # Though you're no Queen of Sheba

# For worlds I'd not replace #.

# Love walked right in and drove the shadows away;

# Love walked right in and brought my sunniest day.

# That love said "Hello!", and my heart seemed to know

# One look and I forgot the gloom of the past

# One look and I had found my future at last.

# One look and I had found a world completely new,

# When love walked in... With you.

# One look and I forgot the gloom of the past

# One look and I had found my future at last.

# One look and I had found a world completely new,

# When love walked in... With you.

# Don't you know Ben Franklin wrote about this thing at length?

# On the proposition that in union there is strength?

# We'll be much stronger and live much longer.

# That the world is in quite a state!

# Never will know any foreign entanglements;

# Fooling around will be unconstitutional,

# With nothing but true love in the ascendance,

# Where you depend on me and I depend on you!

# Built on the pursuit of star spangled happiness;

# The all adore # A step that everyone's been

waiting for # The swing trot

# It's a deal # The other greatest dancer in the

land. # You realise swing trot is here to

stay. # All the way from Rome to Zanzibar

# Feels like the whole wide world is swinging the swing trot #.

# And now that dream is here beside me

# And now that dream is here beside me

# And now that dream is here beside me

# The dream I dreamed was not denied me

# You can't blame me for feeling amorous,

# You can't blame me for feeling amorous,

# The dreams you dreamed have all

# But fools will be fools and where's he gone to?

What a finale from the John Wilson Orchestra. Bringing the soloists to

their feet as the cheers ring out at the Royal Albert Hall. That was the

ballet from An American in Paris. As usual, played with panache by

these fabulous musicians. The leader, there, John Mills.

Looking back at his string section. They must be so thrilled with the

way this evening has gone. 6000 people cheering and stamping. Most

of them have been swaying and smiling all evening. John Wilson

coming back to the stage. Told us earlier this was the highlight of

the year for him and his orchestra. And I'm guessing we are getting an

encore. # How wonderful that I am holding

# And never-never land on folding # Where we polish of the stars

# And mountains we move # In a life where all the pleasures

we will prove # It's a new world I see

# A new world for me # The tears have rolled off my cheek

# And fears fade away every time you speak

# A new world # Though we are in a tiny room

# What the vision of joy and blossom and gloom

# A new found promise # One that lasts

# So I'm holdin' on and I'm holdin' fast

# And that it will always, always be #.

Louise Dearman there with a song made famous by Judy Garland in the

1954 film. # It means when it is striking us

# The audience is liking us # Our work demands

# You don't sit on your hands # And if the hands commend us

# You send us # We live, we thrive

# You keep us all alive # With bravo and bravissimo

# We're dead if it's pianissimo # Our work is work we never

shirk # In the happy land

of tinsel and gauze # Whether you're a Swiss bell-ringer

# Or a crooner # Or mnemologist

# Ventriloquist or what # Or a dog act # Or magician

# Or a musical saw musician # Or an ingenue

# Or pianist who is hot # And what better reward

for a trouper # The manager,

he audits our plaudits # And obey the theater's

unwritten laws The whole company onstage for that

second encore, appropriately named Applause, Applause from Give a Girl

a Break. John Wilson soaking up the applause. Maida Vale singers. Louise

Dearman, Julian of London, Matthew Ford, wonderful soloists, real

friends of the John Wilson Orchestra.

I've said it before, I'm sure I'll say it again, the audience here at

the Proms do love John Wilson. And here he comes again. Leader John

Mills. They clearly relished every moment,

didn't they? That's the chorus master. The Maida Vale singers, such

stalwarts of every John Wilson Prom. Coming back on, en masse.

Fantastically varied programme. Wonderful Gershwin hits. Some less

familiar. All of them lovingly recreated by John Wilson. Such a

champion of both George and Ira Gershwin. What a wonderful night

it's been. And the applause still echoing around here in the Royal

Albert Hall. I'm not in the gallery. As John Wilson comes back on and

brings his orchestra to their feet one more time. Well, I hope that you

have enjoyed it at home as much as we have here at the Royal Albert

Hall. Tune in to BBC2 next Saturday

evening for Ravel's Bolero and Rachmaninov's soaring

Piano Concerto no.3, with Russian conductor

Valery Gergiev and the Munich