Forget Taylor Swift, U2 or The Rolling Stones. When members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra leave home for the Last Night of the Proms this evening there will be no chauffeured limos or roadies to carry their instruments.
Apart from the pianists, musicians usually drive their own instruments across London to perform at the Proms season’s grand finale. The night of flag-waving pomp and circumstance at the Royal Albert Hall is an end-of-season party like no other.
While a flautist can pop their instrument case and sheet music in a handbag, spare a thought for the bassists. A full-size or 4/4 bass stands almost 75 inches tall and measures considerably larger when shipped inside a protective glass-fibre flightcase. With some basses dating back centuries and the most valuable worth in excess of £1 million, finding the right vehicle to safely carry such a large musical instrument presents members of the string section with a unique challenge.
Bassist virtuoso Thomas Martin has been a principal in many major orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra under conductor André Previn, as well as the English Chamber Orchestra. He also played on Sir Paul McCartney’s hit single Mull of Kintyre – as well as the equally memorable punk rock version of My Way by Sid Vicious.
Now 84, Martin experienced a lifetime of transport issues before he retired. “I started off with a Wolseley 1500 and a Triumph Herald. The latter wasn’t especially big but I could just about squeeze the bass in if I lowered the front seat forward.
“I love driving, so when I married Jane and we had children I still wanted a car I could enjoy. My Reliant Scimitar would carry the family in comfort – or a double bass with two kids lying down in the back.”
Martin, who now makes and repairs basses at his family-run workshop near Banbury, says the Reliant had a hidden bonus: “Because the bodywork was made from glass fibre, the garage that cared for it was also able to repair the case for my instrument.”
Standing 5ft 5in tall, Martin had to balance on two telephone directories when he first took up the double bass. “I thought I would grow taller but it is what it is. The bass is not the easiest instrument to manoeuvre into a car but somehow I always got by.”
Beverley Jones of the BBC Symphony Orchestra will play the double bass at tonight’s spectacular Proms finale concert at the Royal Albert Hall, under the baton of Finnish conductor Sakari Oramo.
Jones says: “When I first played the bass I could rely on my parents to ferry me everywhere in their car. Later, I realised why the rest of the orchestra would sympathise when I needed to move this enormous instrument around.
“I used to travel to concerts on the Tube, often late at night. Naturally, there were plenty of offers of help from people a little worse for wear. I was very happy the day I could finally afford my own car.”
Jones’ Volvo estate was a popular choice for bassists because of the capacious load area, although it was also difficult to park in central London. She would often arrive 90 minutes before a concert to find a spot close enough to the venue, from where she could then wheel in her bass.
She then tried a modestly-sized Fiat Punto hatchback, which surprisingly accommodated a double bass although it meant only solo journeys.
“That’s when I discovered a Ford Focus estate – it’s the secret weapon for double bass players,” she says “It can carry two double basses in padded carry bags. My Thomas Kennedy instrument is about 200 years old and valued at £165,000, so there’s no room for error when shutting the tailgate.”
One instrument that won’t fit in any car is a grand piano. Steinway provides a Model D grand for the Proms – the Rolls-Royce of pianos costs £192,300 new and weighs 480kg.
Orchestral technical services manager, David Widdicombe says: “Obviously, we drive specialist vans with tail-lifts and employ a highly-trained team. Some of the vehicles are climate-controlled because moving a piano from a warm environment to a cold concert hall can affect the tone.”
Our search for the car best suited to a busy bassist around London – one that also avoids the capital’s £15 per day congestion charge – directed us towards the new Kia EV9. The electric Korean SUV is capable of carrying a septet of musicians and costs from about £65,000.
The rear two rows of seats fold completely flat and offer 2,318 litres of space, making it possible to squeeze in two double basses in soft cases. The battery-powered behemoth will also swallow one instrument in a hard case, the type appropriate for international travel.
The rear-wheel drive version of the Kia seven-seater also has a decent-sized front boot which adds an extra 90 litres of carrying capacity – sufficient for a violin. In the all-wheel drive model, that space is cut to a flute-friendly 52 litres. However, opt for the six-seat AWD and the rear room is increased to 2,393 litres.
At least musicians on the move won’t get in a pickle with a pint-sized piccolo, which is half the length of a standard flute and a member of the woodwind family. The instrument is only 13 inches long and easily fits in an EV9’s ingenious glovebox.
The Kia also has an eight-litre, pull-down compartment inspired by the overhead bins in an aircraft. Almost 50 per cent larger than a standard glovebox, the EV9 space would likely swallow up most of the sheet music for an entire wind section too.
Here’s our choice of great music conductors to suit all pockets:
SUVs
BMW X7
Hugely practical, the X7 is currently the largest car BMW makes. Carrying up to seven people, the luxurious all-wheel drive will also ferry up to 2,210 litres of luggage with the rear two rows of seats lowered. From £88,890.
Škoda Kodiaq
Another mammoth mover, the Kodiak tailgate opens to reveal 2,035 litres of load area. The seven-seat model features a false floor that eliminates the loading edge and makes loading heavier items easier. From £37,505.
Volvo EX90
While the combustion-engined XC90 (with a 1,856-litre load area) has been granted a stay of execution, the new, battery-powered EX90 is perfect for an electric light orchestra in the central London congestion charge zone, with 1,915 litres at the back and a 34 litre space under the bonnet.
Estates
Škoda Superb/Volkswagen Passat
Sibling load-luggers, the cavernous Superb and new Passat each offers a maximum capacity of 1,920 litres with the rear seats lowered, more than the BMW 5-Series Touring and Audi A6 Avant. Both feature a low loading lip and flat floor, which provide a more practical luggage space than many SUVs. Superb from £36,175/Passat from £38,505.
Mercedes E-Class
A Mercedes was the posh rival to a big Volvo estate back in the 1970s. The E is still loaded with luxuries and the classy alternative to a high-riding sports utility vehicle. The only downside is that the batteries in the PHEV version raise the floor and reduce space, which offers a maximum of 1,830 litres. From £57,780.
Vans
Mercedes-Benz V-Class
If you don’t mind a commercial-shaped MPV then the Extra Long version of the V-Class has no equal. The Vito is a van-based bus with windows but has plenty of luxury touches. It offers an enormous 5,010 litres with all the seats removed. And therein lies the problem – removing them is a right old workout. From £75,680.
Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo
For a pleasantly silent journey in pianissimo conditions the electric ID. Buzz is the perfect companion. Chic and retro cool, cargo space is 3,900 litres – the equivalent of two Euro pallets – and it’s not subject to the central London congestion charge either. From £43,541.
Ford Tourneo Connect
Yes, it looks like any other van but the new Tourneo can be a practical seven-seat MPV by day then a maestro for musicians at night. Remove the third row of seats and lower the second to make use of 3,100 litres of space. The latest plug-in hybrid also offers up to 68 miles of battery-only driving. From £33,820.
The Last Night of the Proms is broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and also screened on BBC1 and BBC2 from 7pm tonight.
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