Proms 2012 - pre-launch speculations

[BudgieJane]

What about a symphony or two by Lloyd, Rubbra, Dyson and Rawsthorne ?

In your dreams!

[EdgeleyRob]

In your dreams!

[BudgieJane]

My only criterion is that all the works performed should be easy listening for all the prommers (which was certainly not the case this year!)

You make a HUGE assumption there, VH.

What is "easy listening"? What may be easy listening to one person could well be puke-inducing to another. And in any case the Proms is about "serious" music, music that you have to think about, and not music that could well serve as "wallpaper" or the dreaded muzak.

Strauss's Zerbinetta's aria from Ariadne auf Naxos is easy listening for me, but may well not be for other people. I don't understand why we have to have film music in the Proms; that's definitely heavy going and not easy listening in my book. Nor are Wagner operas and Italian grand opera.

Perhaps the answer for easy listening is to bring back the Viennese Night and G&S Night that we used to have until the 1970s, and revert the Last Night back to how it was done in those days also.

[Quarky]

. And in any case the Proms is about "serious" music, music that you have to think about, and not music that could well serve as "wallpaper" or the dreaded muzak.
.

Given that the Proms is basically 18th/ 19th Century symphonic music, thing will not change much from year to year.

But I enjoyed all the Liszt, and would welcome more, in 2012, as Jonathan stated on another thread. If not Liszt, then other composers that point to modern 20th Century/ 21st century music, which is my main interest.

The new commissions and other new works seemed to work quite well. They may only be a minor ingredient in a concert, but they are essential to persuade me to get off my backside and travel to RAH. Cadogan Hall Saturday afternoons also worked well, but with reservations about the presenter.

Hope they continue with the Audience Choice initiative. The prommers seem to put together a better programme than the organisers.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I know that my idea of what I want to listen to isn't really the same as many / most peoples
but

I never knew you'd realised.

"Acceptable" ???? do you really mean something that will be "ok" for everyone ? music is far too important to simply be that
I want to be stimulated, entertained, challenged, surprised and sometimes disturbed by music when I go to a concert

...but I do agree with you.

[BudgieJane]

Hope they continue with the Audience Choice initiative. The prommers seem to put together a better programme than the organisers.

That's easy, then. Just give those of us who are there at one o'clock every day, in both the season-ticket and day-ticket queues, carte blanche to organise the next few seasons. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

[Ventilhorn]

I don't know what all the speculation is about next year's Proms.

Surely you realise by now that the whole season will be concerts of short pieces. The following is a rough guide:-

Well, E A, you've given me an idea here and in this post-prom dearth of much to write about, I have an idea:

Let us all find a theme for one of next year's "novelty" proms.

We've had "Hooray Holywood", "Film Music", "Comedy Prom" etcetera, so we must be looking for some new slant reflecting our preferences for a complete concert. I would suggest that all works in the programme must have a relevance (however tenuous) to the theme, and I'm going to start the ball rolling with my theme, to be played on "Battle of Britain Day" - the Theme being "The Royal Air Force"

H Walford Davies: The RAF March Past
F Mendelssohn: Oh, for the wings of a Dove
J Haydn: Symphony Nº 92 ("The Oxford")

INTERVAL

Sir W Walton: Spitfire Prelude and Fugue
Ron Goodwin: 633 Squadron
L van Beethoven: Battle Symphony (Wellington's Victory)
Eric Coates: Dambusters March

Just a bit of fun really, but let's see what other message boarders might come up with.

(No need to start picking holes, MrGG. Try looking for another Target)

VH

[Quarky]

"Let us all find a theme for one of next year's "novelty" proms."

A good idea VH, probably deserving a new thread.

However I feel I must point out a gaping hole in your programme - a lark ascending - RVW

My own choice would be a concert of Arabic music. This Libya business has brought it home to me that despite cultural differences, Arabs are no different from Europeans. I am sure there is plenty of music to choose from. see e.g.: http://www.bmgfoundation.com/press/A...ease_final.pdf

[Ventilhorn]

"Let us all find a theme for one of next year's "novelty" proms."

A good idea VH, probably deserving a new thread.

However I feel I must point out a gaping hole in your programme - a lark ascending - RVW

My own choice would be a concert of Arabic music. This Libya business has brought it home to me that despite cultural differences, Arabs are no different from Europeans. I am sure there is plenty of music to choose from. see e.g.: http://www.bmgfoundation.com/press/A...ease_final.pdf

FF please note.

Oddball: thanks for your interest. I had considered that but I don't want to find myself as the only person to start new threads.

You will see from my message #1 that I have highlighted the words which apply to aircraft of the RAF at that time,(and not the sometimes unruly behaviour of those courageous pilots) I couldn't find any music to include Blenheim, Defiant or Tempest in the title, but I am looking for a suitable piece by Charles Anson for inclusion in the programme.

All contributions welcome.

VH

[Chris Newman]

I like Ventilhorn's Last Night. No Sea Songs - Hooray. Mind you Walton wrote better music than that march.

The Battle of Britain Prom sounds a good idea BUT Beethoven's Wellington's Victory ? I seem to remember on the Auntie Message Board you said it was the biggest load of tosh you had ever had the misfortune to play in (or something close to those words)

[vinteuil]

I couldn't find any music to include Blenheim, Defiant or Tempest in the title, but I am looking for a suitable piece by Charles Anson for inclusion in the programme.

All contributions welcome.

VH

... yerss, I'm racking my brain for any music title containing Beaufighter...

[BudgieJane]

The Battle of Britain Prom sounds a good idea BUT Beethoven's Wellington's Victory ? I seem to remember on the Auntie Message Board you said it was the biggest load of tosh you had ever had the misfortune to play in (or something close to those words)

It's the biggest load of sh*t I've ever had the misfortune to hear, also.

[Ferretfancy]

Oh dear ! I used to rather enjoy the old version on Mercury with all the added gunfire and cannon shots !

[barber olly]

I don't know what all the speculation is about next year's Proms.

Surely you realise by now that the whole season will be concerts of short pieces. The following is a rough guide:-

The Lark Ascending once a week,
Several individual movements from classical and baroque works every day.
Any work or single movement of more than 15 minutes will be abridged or played very quickly
Audience members will be allowed mobile phones to allw them to text in to say how much they liked it.
Soloists will be replaced by chat-hosts and embarrassingly gushing special guests.
Large "clap" notices will be raised at the the end of every movement. (Oh no, that's silly; they won't be playing more than one movement of anythng.)
Jonathan Ross will return to the BBC to co-host the Ptoms with Chris Evans.
The final two weeks will be different - a dawn-till-dusk Telemann-fest - his complete works.

So the WEDO Beethoven Cycle will include all 9 Symphonies and all Concerti in one evening!

[BudgieJane]

So the WEDO Beethoven Cycle will include all 9 Symphonies and all Concerti in one evening!

Well, the Proms are excellent value for money