Proms 2012 - pre-launch speculations

[Chris Newman]

Saucer of milk for mr Newman

at least 50cents wide methinks

Thlu...thlu...thlu..thlurp, Sir GG.

[bluestateprommer]

....Barenboim and his East-West Divan orchestra will present a complete Beethoven cycle in next year's Proms, ending with the Ninth symphony on the opening night of the Olympics.

While this isn't much of a snippet to add, at least part of the concert pairings with the WEDO's take on Ludwig van will include more than a dollop of Pierre Boulez:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/med...sic/proms.html

So dare one speculate that Rituel is paired with the "Eroica", for one? Not sure what one would put Figures, doubles, prismes, Éclat/Multiples, or the Notations.

[David Underdown]

For any budding young composers out there, the 2012 Proms Inspire competition has just been announced, the lineup of judges looks interesting to me http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/features/inspire

[bluestateprommer]

It seems that at least one US orchestra will represent this side of the pond at The Proms this summer:

http://www.stltoday.com/entertainmen...tml?mode=story

There's this bit from that article:

"On its tour in September, the orchestra will make debut performances at the Musikfest Berlin — Berliner Festspiele, the Lucerne Festival and at the Salle Pleyel in Paris.

There will be an additional concert in London; the details are still to be announced. However, given the timing and Robertson's connections in that city, the performance will almost certainly be a part of the celebrated Proms, at the Royal Albert Hall."

Interestingly, the orchestra's president is quoted next, where there's the "read between the lines" part:

"After a long hiatus, it's really an opportunity," said SLSO president and CEO Fred Bronstein. "It represents all of the things that St. Louis has to offer culturally to the world. It's a huge honor for an American orchestra to be invited; only a few on the top rung ever are."

I then found this from the Saint Louis orchestra's website (emphasis mine):

http://www.stlsymphony.org/press/1112/20120123.aspx

"Today, the St. Louis Symphony released details about its upcoming 2012 European tour, the first under Music Director David Robertson. The orchestra will make debut performances at the Musikfest Berlin | Berliner Festspiele, the Lucerne Festival, and at the Salle Pleyel in Paris. An additional concert date in London is still to be announced. The concerts will feature works by Beethoven, Brahms, Sibelius, Schoenberg, Gershwin, Ives and Elliott Carter."

Obviously the orchestra management is trying to respect The Proms' information embargo until the official announcement in April .

To be honest, Saint Louis is not the first US orchestra that I would have predicted as traveling across the Atlantic to the RAH. On reflection, however, it makes sense, because of the connections of David Robertson to The Proms via the BBC SO. Plus, to be somewhat cynical or snarky, maybe they're more affordable than Chicago or New York. It'll also mark the orchestra's Proms debut, as the Proms Archive definitely shows that the Saint Louis orchestra has never performed at The Proms.

Looking at the other tour programs, it's not hard to guess that the Beethoven Violin Concerto, with Christian Tetzlaff, and Sibelius 1 will be on the program at the RAH. I once heard Robertson lead the Orchestre National de Lyon, with Tetzlaff, in the Beethoven Violin Concerto. The cadenza threw me off, since it had timpani. I figured out later that it must have been the Max Reger cadenza (*). Maybe that's what you guys will get then, again assuming that this comes to pass.

It's a toss-up whether the Brahms or Ives would be the concert opener, or maybe even both will be included. By default, the date of that Prom, assuming that they're indeed going to The Proms, would have to be Tuesday, September 4, 2012.

(*) Edit: per other posts, the cadenza is not by Max Reger.

[Beef Oven]

I heard a rumour that some Mahler will be programmed - not confirmed of course.

[Lateralthinking1]

Born 1712 - Weber, Hebden, Kayser, Stanley
Born 1812 - Degen, Xyndas, Dubuque, Ernst, Busch
Born 1862 - Debussy, Delius
Born 1912 - Cage, Berger, Lane, Nancarrow
Died 1912 - Massenet
Died 1962 - Ireland

Predictions for the novelty evenings - Music for silent movies and something involving the Muppets

[Old_Friar]

West-Eastern Divan Orchestra programmes now on their website, dates 20, 21,23, 24, 27 July:

http://www.west-eastern-divan.org/calendar/

[Osborn]

West-Eastern Divan Orchestra programmes...

You have to admire Barenboim for programming works by Boulez in every concert. They will need an enormous amount of preparation which many conductors would shy away from. Despite Boulez I'm sure the RAH will be fully sold.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

You have to admire Barenboim for programming works by Boulez in every concert. They will need an enormous amount of preparation which many conductors would shy away from.

Barenboim has long been a keen promoter of Boulez' work and these programmes are inspired: Le Marteau sans Maitre with the Choral is a fantastic coupling!

Despite Boulez I'm sure the RAH will be fully sold.

Quite so; and there'll be many "converts" to Boulez as a result. (And maybe even a couple of Boulez enthusiasts who might "get" Beethoven for the first time?)

[Old_Friar]

No evidence of a performance of Pélleas et Mélisande on the Monteverdi Choir website, though there is space for them to have a performance on 15 July before they do the Creation at Salzburg the following weekend. Absence of information may be at the request of the BBC until the Proms Guide is published