Controller, BBC Radio 3

[Serial_Apologist]

I haven’t got the energy to prove it but I would wager that 70’s Radio 3 had more serial music and virtually no four chord repetitive piano strumming in those mind emptying programmes you refer two. Nothing wrong with four chords in the hands say of The Who but as used by the Zimmers and Richters …I’ve had enough of it just watching telly.

Indeed - right now, by coincidence, I'm luxuriating in all my Hanns Eisler recordings, plus finding several to play available on Youtube. Hanns Eisler composed serial music for the masses, didn't he!

It strikes me as ironic that we argue vociferously for more inclusive education, which is effectively dumbed down education in the cultural field.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Interesting: the earliest recorded meaning of this abbreviation: "1879 Originally U.S. A ball or formal dance at a school or college, typically held for the members of a single (typically senior) class near the end of the school year."

Also: "1902 Chiefly British. Usually with capital initial. = promenade concert; spec. (chiefly in plural. The Proms) any one of the series of Henry Wood Promenade Concerts now performed annually at the Royal Albert Hall in London."

Apologies, down with this sort of thing: there is already an appropriate thread.

Interesting - so we got the word from them and dumbed it “up “ as it were? Only to have the US coinage return . I date the return to the release and phenomenal success of Grease in 1977 ish and the equal success of the C4 import Happy Days. Other contributing films Carrie where the school Prom goes horribly wrong.

[gurnemanz]

. Hanns Eisler composed serial music for the masses, didn't he!
.

Serial musical as dumbing down?

Re Prom. If I were to say: "I'm going to the prom" I assume it would be clear from the context whether I was off to a concert, an end-of-term party or the seafront.

[french frank]

I was off to a concert, an end-of-term party or the seafront.

Curiously, there's no sign of the song lyric "Let's all go down the prom" [Have a banana …] I blame a BBC variety show, probably of the 40s or 50s, for that one.

[cloughie]

Curiously, there's no sign of the song lyric "Let's all go down the prom" [Have a banana …] I blame a BBC variety show, probably of the 40s or 50s, for that one.

…and I fear that the skin of that fruit has caused several mishaps, physically and mentally, ever since!

[french frank]

…and I fear that the skin of that fruit has caused several mishaps, physically and mentally, ever since!

Actually, I misremembered. It's Let's all go down the Strand, isn't it? Not sure about the banana. Anyway I was mixing it up with the one about The prom, prom, prom, Tiddley-om-pom-pom.

Oh. Wikipedia says that's I do like to be beside the seaside:

Oh I do like to stroll along the Prom, Prom, Prom!
Where the brass bands play, "Tiddely-om-pom-pom!"

[Old Grumpy]

When did the "Promenade Concerts" become "The Proms". Surely promenades, as such, would pre-date either of the uses of "prom" (American or British) in the respective quotes.

[french frank]

When did the "Promenade Concerts" become "The Proms". Surely promenades, as such, would pre-date either of the uses of "prom" (American or British) in the respective quotes.

Well the OED quotes the abbreviation "The Proms" in 1902 so it was adopted pretty quickly (they were founded in 1895) - surprisingly so. The actual quote is:

'There is never one of the programmes at the Proms..unworthy of the..most cultured music lover.'

And promenade, short for promenade concert, in The Times:

1864 The fourth of the series of Grand Opera Concerts and afternoon promenades takes place this day