My Proms...

[Prommer]

For the first time in eons, I will only be breaking my duck for this year's season on Tuesday, for the Missa Solemnis. Then the Salome and Elektra and the St Matthew Passion.

Dull, too conservative, random, of a piece? Tell me... Rather like looking at someone's bookshelf. Or playing through the keyhole...

[amateur51]

For the first time in eons, I will only be breaking my duck for this year's season on Tuesday, for the Missa Solemnis. Then the Salome and Elektra and the St Matthew Passion.

Dull, too conservative, random, of a piece? Tell me... Rather like looking at someone's bookshelf. Or playing through the keyhole...

Playing what through the keyhole, Prommer?

We're not in The Speckled Band-territory are we?

[Dave2002]

For the first time in eons, I will only be breaking my duck for this year's season on Tuesday, for the Missa Solemnis. Then the Salome and Elektra and the St Matthew Passion.

Dull, too conservative, random, of a piece? Tell me... Rather like looking at someone's bookshelf. Or playing through the keyhole...

Seems OK to me. I only just noticed the Missa Solemnis, but it's a late night do, so would cause big problems for sum (including me) re travel - I don't want to sleep on the pavement. You do have some of the greatest pieces in there, so why not? I hope you enjoy them.

[Prommer]

Obviously I am someone who likes the human voice, if one had to pick a theme, but unlike a few years ago with the Gothic etc, this year I didn't feel challenged to go to something completely new to me.

Which brings me on the subject of the Proms controller. What about inviting a different person a year to curate the festival? ie separate it completely from the Radio 3 Controller job, and ask different people to do a season? Probably impractical but think how that would shake things up! They would need the help, forward-planning guidance and resources of the BBC, obviously, but 'kinder, schafft Neues'!

PS I am as guilty as the next man for returning to the familiar (hence my Proms schedule above), albeit in the hope of seeing or hearing something new, but I know that I need to be pushed - and I wonder how this can be done in way that really draws people in.

I think it needs more of a push than the odd bit of sporadically creative programming.

[Nick Armstrong]

... the Missa Solemnis. Then the Salome and Elektra and the St Matthew Passion.

Dull, too conservative, random, of a piece? Tell me...

None of the latter. I don't see how the choice to hear those pieces live within a few days could possibly be criticised - four masterpieces, including (at least) two that are generally regarded as being about as good as music can possibly get... And I don't think 'Elektra' and 'St Matt. Pass.' could be regarded as being 'of a piece' - other than having people singing, scraping and blowing and being written by Germans!

[pastoralguy]

Obviously I am someone who likes the human voice, if one had to pick a theme, but unlike a few years ago with the Gothic etc, this year I didn't feel challenged to go to something completely new to me.

Which brings me on the subject of the Proms controller. What about inviting a different person a year to curate the festival? ie separate it completely from the Radio 3 Controller job, and ask different people to do a season? Probably impractical but think how that would shake things up! They would need the help, forward-planning guidance and resources of the BBC, obviously, but 'kinder, schafft Neues'!

PS I am as guilty as the next man for returning to the familiar (hence my Proms schedule above), albeit in the hope of seeing or hearing something new, but I know that I need to be pushed - and I wonder how this can be done in way that really draws people in.

I think it needs more of a push than the odd bit of sporadically creative programming.

Well, living in Edinburgh, we have the Festival so we get to hear many unfamiliar works. I like to choose six works, book tickets for the performances and then do my best to hear recordings and, if possible, obtain the scores and simply listen as much as possible until, by the time of the concert, the music is no longer unfamiliar.

This year has been Martinu's 4th symphony, Rihm's 'Lichte Spiel', Schlhoff's first string quartet and Britten's War Requiem.