Compile your own choice of music for a Promenade Concert

[Richard Barrett]

An interesting theme might be
" to suit the RAH acoustics".

I don't know of any music that would fit that particular theme. As I've often said, the best thing to do with the RAH would be to pull it down and build a concert hall there instead, OK leaving the shell of it if people really like that kind of architecture, although personally I find it almost as ugly to look at as to listen in.

Rant over. Regarding programmes, of course my favourite so far has been ferneyhoughgeliebte's , with the proviso that it shouldn't be performed in the aforementioned venue in its current form since that place is death to any kind of musical intricacy or subtlety. As it happens I did a few years ago suggest a Proms event to RW, it centre of gravity being Mahler 10 in a new version by myself. I haven't actually done this as yet, but the idea behind it would be not a "performing version of the sketches", or a conjectural completion in something like Mahler's late style, but a music which would depart further and further from that style as the sketch-material thins out, even adding electronic sounds to the orchestra. I have a pretty good idea how to do it and how it would sound, having been thinking about it off and on for 25 years or so, and I would have thought that it could create quite some interest... but needless to say I received no reply from Proms HQ about this.

I also like the Partch Delusion of the Fury idea. Some of you might know that a production of this work, with Partch-instruments constructed according to the original models and performed by MusikFabrik of Cologne in a staging by Heiner Goebbels, has been touring to various places around Europe, although (typically) the Edinburgh Festival is as close as it gets to London.

[jayne lee wilson]

Most interesting, but my suggestion was to compile a balanced concert PROGRAMME, not a list of works for inclusion.

HS

As ahinton thankfully acknowledged, I gave you 6 balanced programmes... I do think imaginative titling could be very helpful to draw people in as well, publicise with visuals, give it the works...

Anyway... off to the match !

[Tony Halstead]

I'll have another go. A chamber orchestra Prom.

J C Bach: Sinfonia in B-flat, Op. 18, No. 2
Walter Leigh: Concertino for Harpsichord & Stings
Parry: Lady Radnor's Suite (full orchestra version)

* * *

Lars-Erik Larsson: Pastoralsvit
Copland: Quiet City
Ives: Symphony No. 3

(encore) Suk: Sousedská

I agree with several other message-boarders that it's a fine programme.

However, in the entire 119 years of the Proms' history ONLY ONE work by J.C. Bach has ever been performed: you guessed it... the Sinfonia in B flat, Op.18/2 ( 'Lucio Silla' overture) and that was on 8th August, 1950!
About 20 years ago I wrote to Nicholas Kenyon proposing Proms performances of the three Op.18 symphonies that employ a 'double orchestra', namely nos. 1,3, and 5, which I think would sound splendid in the RAH acoustic as long as the 2 orchestras were large enough.
I received an enthusiastic reply from Nicholas Kenyon who said 'rest assured, we will be programming some J.C. Bach fairly soon.'
20 years later, there has still been no more J.C. Bach played at the Proms.

[Hornspieler]

I agree with several other message-boarders that it's a fine programme.

However, in the entire 119 years of the Proms' history ONLY ONE work by J.C. Bach has ever been performed: you guessed it... the Sinfonia in B flat, Op.18/2 ( 'Lucio Silla' overture) and that was on 8th August, 1950!
About 20 years ago I wrote to Nicholas Kenyon proposing Proms performances of the three Op.18 symphonies that employ a 'double orchestra', namely nos. 1,3, and 5, which I think would sound splendid in the RAH acoustic as long as the 2 orchestras were large enough.
I received an enthusiastic reply from Nicholas Kenyon who said 'rest assured, we will be programming some J.C. Bach fairly soon.'
20 years later, there has still been no more J.C. Bach played at the Proms.

A very good post.

As an obvious fan of all the Bach family, I'm surprised that you don't mention those delightful keyboard concerti by J C Bach.

In fact, a whole Prom with the theme of the Bach dynasty would surely attract a good audience (maybe in the Cadogan Hall?)

HS

[Blotto]

These parlour games are fun but, I'm afraid, the only theme I could come up with to justify my programme was a fantasy 'Audience Request concert' with a ballot which I won. Can I do that?

Shostakovich: Festive Overture
Beethoven: Violin Concerto
Britten: Spring Symphony

[bluestateprommer]

Several ideas from this side of the pond to HS's theme (and I really do need to work out those rules for a fantasy Proms season, to take HS's idea a step further):

(a) Czech Prom, for JB and the Czech Phil, a 'club sandwich' Prom with two intervals:

Dvorak: Slavonic Dances, Book 2 (complete)
Martinu: Sinfonietta giocosa
Suk: A Summer's Tale

(b) A WWI themed (sort of) Prom:

Barber: Knoxville, Summer of 1915
Frank Martin: Les quatre elements
Butterworth: A Shropshire Lad
Vaughan Williams: A Pastoral Symphony

(c) 'Political prisoners' theme:

Dallapiccola: Il prigioniero
Andre Previn & Tom Stoppard: Every Good Boy Deserves Favour

(d) On the more intellectually abstruse side, for a 'theme':

Schoenberg: Variations for Orchestra, op. 31
Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Respighi: Metamorphosen Modi XII
Ravel: Bolero

(e) A 'Choral Sunday' Prom:

Constant Lambert: Summer's Last Will and Testament
Walton: Belshazzar's Feast

(f) Swedish Prom (but this one is admittedly short measure):

Dag Wiren: Serenade for Strings
Berwald: Piano Concerto
Stenhammar: Serenade, op. 31

I notice that chamber music and solo recital Proms are conspicuously missing (including from me).

[EdgeleyRob]

the don't need a theme just a good programme Prom



Edmund Rubbra: Symphony 4

interval

Alfred Schnittke: Symphony 1

Nice one

[EdgeleyRob]

Englsh cities.

Burgess : Manchester Overture

Parry : Symphony No 2 (Cambridge)

interval

Bush : Symphony No 2 (Nottingham)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Englsh cities.
Burgess : Manchester Overture
Parry : Symphony No 2 (Cambridge)
Bush : Symphony No 2 (Nottingham)

Is Middlesborough not a city?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_b2gtOUwic

[Richard Barrett]

Now I don't know any of the works on EdgeleyRob's programme, but I would hazard a guess that such an evening would certainly not fill the Albert Hall - I don't intend that as a criticism, but it has been used as one towards other choices on this thread. Just saying.

[EdgeleyRob]

Is Middlesborough not a city?

It's a town isn't it ?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It's a town isn't it ?

Yeah - wondered about that. Do you know this work, Edgey? Right up your street, I'd've guessed - British Symphony, and the only one AFAIK dedicated to a Football team!

[kea]

Chamber Prom -

Burgmüller - Piano Sonata Op. 9
Vorisek - Rhapsodies Op. 1 Nos. 1, 4, 6 & 7 (or any other such selection)
Hummel - La Bella Capricciosa Op. 55 & Piano Sonata Op. 106

Ideally on a period instrument of course

[EdgeleyRob]

Yeah - wondered about that. Do you know this work, Edgey? Right up your street, I'd've guessed - British Symphony, and the only one AFAIK dedicated to a Football team!

No it's new to me Ferney.
An interesting piece judging by that clip,a bit Shostakovichy,and he was a footy fan too.

[EdgeleyRob]

Icy Prom.

Howells : Penguinski
RVW : Sinfonia Antartica (or Maxwell Davies Symphony No 8,Antartic)

interval

Lloyd : Symphony No 4,Arctic.