BBC Proms in Dubai - BBC Singers

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Currently on Afternoon on 3:

The BBC Singers' programme explores settings of texts dealing with the end of life, the tragedy of war, the imminence of death and the encounter of new love.
Finzi: My spirit sang all day
Judith Bingham: Distant Thunder
Parry: My soul, there is a country; Never weather-beaten sail; There is an old belief (Songs of Farewell)
Mohammed Fairouz: Different Ways to Pray
Judith Bingham: The Drowned Lovers
Stanford: The Blue bird
Delius: To Be Sung of a Summer Night on the Water
BBC Singers
James Burton (conductor)
c.2.50pm
Tippett: Dance, Clarion Air
Joanna Marsh: Arabesques
Tippett: Five Spirituals from A Child of Our Time
Gershwin (arranged by Richard Rodney Bennett): By Strauss
Cole Porter (arranged by Richard Rodney Bennett): Every time we say goodbye
BBC Singers
James Burton (conductor)



It's great to see the BBC is willing to have Proms outside London.

But Dubai?

They haven't yet done any in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle or Sheffield.

Only London.

Having said that, Petroc introduced today's performers as one of the "world's finest chamber choirs". Sadly, they are their wobbly worst.

[pastoralguy]

Currently on Afternoon on 3:

But Dubai?

.

I think the answer is money, Alpie. Vast quantities of it. After all, that part of the world own so much of the UK already so why shouldn't they make a grab for the cultural assets too?

[vinteuil]

It's great to see the BBC is willing to have Proms outside London.

But Dubai?

They haven't yet done any in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle or Sheffield.

... don't be so parochial. They haven't yet done Valparaiso, Suva, Antananarivo, Ulan Bator, or Ushuaia.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I think the answer is money, Alpie. Vast quantities of it. After all, that part of the world own so much of the UK already so why shouldn't they make a grab for the cultural assets too?

Yes, that did occur to me. They might buy the Proms and rename them.

... don't be so parochial. They haven't yet done Valparaiso, Suva, Antananarivo, Ulan Bator, or Ushuaia.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

They might buy the Proms and rename them.

Would that be the Henry Wood Proms, or the BBC Proms?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Would that be the Henry Wood Proms, or the BBC Proms?

It wouldn't be either. It'd be the Dubai Proms, but still in the RAH/Cadogen Hall/Peckham Car Park

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

After today's example, perhaps they'll think twice about repeating the exercise.

[oddoneout]

And was the over-excited Last night of the Proms shouty announcing really necessary?
I did try to listen, but gave up part way through the second piece - as it was not known to me I couldn't make out what was intentional and what was not.
As to location, I would have thought out-of-London Proms should be in Hull, seeing as it's their turn at the City of Culture thing, but given the choice I imagine the decision-makers found more in Dubai's favour.....

[Cockney Sparrow]

I listened to Afternoon on 3 yesterday, BBCSO from the Dubai Opera House, I think it said it was the opening concert of the Dubai Proms but I could be wrong there. Answers the question of Petroc T's whereabouts (per Breakfast thread) and he had a conversation with the administrator who talked about establishing an orchestra from local players - or at least not western players imported in bulk (as, he made reference, was the case "in another place" in the Gulf).

I presume this was paid for by Dubai (hard to believe the Foreign Office or other Gov source would chip in) and the BBC would have to answer licence fee payers funds were not involved (surely - didn't see reference at the time it was part of Osbourne's smash and grab raid on licence fee funds).

As to the music - Gary Carpenter: Dadaville (ex Proms 1st performance) - seemed OK, Benjamin Grosvenor, Britten: Piano Concerto ditto ; Mohammed Fairouz: Pax universalis sounded like film music to me. Ending with Walton 1st Symphony which seemed pretty good.

All of the above with the caveat - IIRC - I was listening on a portable radio whilst I was re-felting a shed! I switched off at the end of the Walton, and was thus spared the ministrations of Katie D in the rest of the schedule. I might listen again to the Walton - as Gardner turns in good performances…..

[LHC]

Apparently there were also some 'BBC Proms' in Australia last year.

Presumably, the 'BBC Proms' tag is being used as a marketing ploy for some BBC Symphony Orchestra concerts in Dubai. Having said that, the works being performed are largely populist (and include a lot more British music than we are used to seeing at the actual Proms), and will end with a 'last night of the proms', complete with rule britannia etc.

The concerts appear to have been arranged with the British Council.

[Stanfordian]

Currently on Afternoon on 3:

The BBC Singers' programme explores settings of texts dealing with the end of life, the tragedy of war, the imminence of death and the encounter of new love.
Finzi: My spirit sang all day
Judith Bingham: Distant Thunder
Parry: My soul, there is a country; Never weather-beaten sail; There is an old belief (Songs of Farewell)
Mohammed Fairouz: Different Ways to Pray
Judith Bingham: The Drowned Lovers
Stanford: The Blue bird
Delius: To Be Sung of a Summer Night on the Water
BBC Singers
James Burton (conductor)
c.2.50pm
Tippett: Dance, Clarion Air
Joanna Marsh: Arabesques
Tippett: Five Spirituals from A Child of Our Time
Gershwin (arranged by Richard Rodney Bennett): By Strauss
Cole Porter (arranged by Richard Rodney Bennett): Every time we say goodbye
BBC Singers
James Burton (conductor)



It's great to see the BBC is willing to have Proms outside London.

But Dubai?

They haven't yet done any in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle or Sheffield.

Only London.

Having said that, Petroc introduced today's performers as one of the "world's finest chamber choirs". Sadly, they are their wobbly worst.

Are the BBC Singers not the only professional choir in the country?

Oh, here I've found it, "Based at the BBC's Maida Vale Studio's the BBC Singers, Britain's only full-time professional chamber choir, perform all over the UK and abroad."

[DracoM]

What is the difference between a group known as a 'choir' and a group known as 'singers'?
Serious question.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

What is the difference between a group known as a 'choir' and a group known as 'singers'?
Serious question.

I suppose they're largely interchangeable, though "singers" does tend to mean a chamber choir, but sometimes a group so-named can grow into something larger.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I suppose they're largely interchangeable, though "singers" does tend to mean a chamber choir, but sometimes a group so-named can grow into something larger.

"Choir" need not just refer to singers - there can be woodwind and brass choirs, too (although it's rare to encounter the word so used nowadays).

[EnemyoftheStoat]

"Choir" need not just refer to singers - there can be woodwind and brass choirs, too (although it's rare to encounter the word so used nowadays).

"Chorus" would imply (to me at least) a larger group. Confusingly, the Singers were known as the BBC Chorus between 1961 and 1972, and I've lost count of the number of times I've had to explain "no, we're not the BBC Singers, we're the BBC Symphony Chorus". Reviewers referring to the "BBC Chorus" - there's no such thing nowadays - don't help.

I suspect Dubai thought they were getting the BBCSC, but having been there before that's not a tour that I'd jump at.