Prom 1 (13.7.12): First Night of the Proms

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Friday 13 July at 7.30 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

Mark-Anthony Turnage: Canon Fever (3 mins)
Elgar: Overture 'Cockaigne (In London Town)' (15 mins)
Delius: Sea Drift (25 mins)
Tippett: Suite for the Birthday of Prince Charles (16 mins)
Elgar: Coronation Ode (33 mins) 1911 version

Susan Gritton soprano
Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano
Robert Murray tenor
Gerald Finley bass-baritone
Bryn Terfel bass-baritone
BBC Symphony Chorus
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Edward Gardner conductor (Canon Fever, Coronation Ode)
Sir Roger Norrington conductor (Cockaigne)
Sir Mark Elder conductor (Sea Drift)
Martyn Brabbins conductor (Suite for the Birthday of Prince Charles)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Concert threads for this year's Proms will be introduced from now on on a daily basis.

I am delighted to see that Elgar's Coronation Ode is scheduled for the First Night. I had tentatively suggested that in this Diamond Jubilee year, the BBC might consider replacing the second half of the Last Night with this work. But opening the season with this work is just as good.

[Flosshilde]

Looks rather bitty to me - & four conductors!!!!

How long is it since they had a single big work as the opener?

[Serial_Apologist]

Looks rather bitty to me - & four conductors!!!!

How long is it since they had a single big work as the opener?

BIG???!!!

[Flosshilde]

Yes - just one piece (as I said), something on a large scale, often choral, sometimes an opera (I remember one year The Trojans occupied the first two nights).

[Petrushka]

Looks rather bitty to me - & four conductors!!!!

How long is it since they had a single big work as the opener?

Nowhere near as bitty as some in the recent past which have resembled a sampler CD. I think this is a good, well thought out programme in a special year.

The last 'big' work to open the season was Mahler 8 in 2010.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The programme itself is hardly "bitty", with 5 complete works, and an overall British theme. However, the 4 conductors thing is a bit gimmicky and I don't relish the 2nd subject of Cockaigne under Norrington (who doubtless will say - entirely inaccurately - that he is performing it as Elgar would have "expected to hear it").
Yes, I know I am becoming boring, but so is the constant diatribe from this source.

[Brassbandmaestro]

The First |noight I am looking forward to very mkuch indeed. I like all the composers featuired and I also think it is a very good idea to have a different conductor for each piece. Innovative, I call it. The M-A Turnage looks rahter good.

[Pabmusic]

The programme itself is hardly "bitty", with 5 complete works, and an overall British theme. However, the 4 conductors thing is a bit gimmicky and I don't relish the 2nd subject of Cockaigne under Norrington (who doubtless will say - entirely inaccurately - that he is performing it as Elgar would have "expected to hear it").
Yes, I know I am becoming boring, but so is the constant diatribe from this source.

How I agree about Norrington. Elgar made a very good recording of Cockaigne in 1933 with the BBC SO, largely unaffected by 78-itis, so it might be difficult to justify any substantially different interpretation on those grounds alone.

i'm looking forward to the concert.

[Hornspieler]

I think I'm going to be busy on 17th July.

In fact, I'm sure I'm going to be busy on 17th July.

HS