Proms 2013 - the Verdict.

[salymap]

The icing on the cake for me is today's RT. On the TV pages a large picture ofthe Strictly Come Dancing'stars.' A much smaller pic of Alsop and the RAH

On the Radio pages a grinning 'Dame Edna Everage' clad in flags and....

I may be a grump but the proms meant a lot to me once.

[VodkaDilc]

But as ever, some gems. I shall cherish memories (and recordings) of the two I went to, the Siècles 'Rite of Spring' and the Thibaudet Ravel piano concerto - unforgettable. And I wish I'd been at the Pappano/Lisiecki concert.

I went to three and think I made some good choices: the two piano concerto programmes mentioned by Caliban + Lugansky playing Rachmaninov. I am pleased to have the television recordings of Lisiecki and Thibaudet to come back to - it's a shame that Lugansky was not televised.

[edashtav]

Not so black and white... a bit of a curate's egg actually.

One thing for sure - there wasn't a single prom this year that was on the exalted, transcendental level that we heard in 2012 in that unforgettable VW 4,5,6 concert by the BBCSSO under Manze.

Succinct and correct!

[Petrushka]

Correct anticipation of sheer demand? It was the only concert to be repeated verbatim, and yet the first (pair) to sell out. It seems likely that this is one of a minority of events across the season which raises net revenue and net "political" capital along the anti-exclusivity/anti-elitism axis for the Proms.

Even if the gradual inclusion of more such events isn't driven largely by purely pragmatic considerations along these lines, the same outcome would have to occur anyway if whatever the actual drivers are were removed. Given the external realities (i.e. not the non-existent utopia in which many here, myself included, wish surrounded things like the Proms):

1) If these events (and the huge cash generator that is the Last Night) were done away with, by how much would ticket prices have to increase to enable blisteringly expensive undertakings such as this year's Ring to continue?

2) It's a near miracle (and largely the consequence of historical accident) that the BBC is able to get away with mounting something like the Proms at all in 2013. In order to keep getting away with it, a skillful political game has to be played by whoever is in charge, almost certainly in a way that purists will detest.

A well-expressed post with which I can only agree.

As a fully paid-up purist I'm concerned about the direction in which the Proms are moving and this season has given little cause for comfort.

Barenboim's Ring was the only real stand out event of the entire season and I wish I'd gone to all four evenings instead of just the last. Gotterdammerung was one of the most memorable evenings I've ever spent in the Albert Hall and one I'll never forget.

There was little else in the season to set my pulse racing but the surprise of the year for me was the Warsaw PO/Wit Prom on August 23. Honourable mentions to the two Bavarian Radio SO/Jansons Proms and the Santa Cecilia/Pappano evening. Much else was routine and, as already mentioned, featured some bizarre programming.

Final verdict: underwhelmed but at least we got a great summer.

[french frank]

2) It's a near miracle (and largely the consequence of historical accident) that the BBC is able to get away with mounting something like the Proms at all in 2013. In order to keep getting away with it, a skillful political game has to be played by whoever is in charge,

Up to a point. The BBC contribution comes via Radio 3's budget at the moment. The bigger the shortfall of expense v. revenue, the more Radio 3 has to cut back on its regular programming.

As far as I can see (which may not be that far!) no other BBC service is affected (other than that they pay a contribution relative to the concerts that they broadcast; and they'd be paying for programming anyway).

What I don't understand is the need to expand the Proms, almost yearly. I don't imagine all the extra concerts pay for themselves.

[johnb]

The first few years under Roger Wright's control were mostly very good, or even outstanding, but then a lot of those would have been planned by Nicholas Kenyon.

Am I right in thinking that there was a comparative dearth in top rank visiting orchestras? If so, is it due to the expense (for the orchestras) of complying with the current visa controls, RW cutting back the costs or some other reason?

(Roger Wright seems to be extending his R3 philosophy to the Proms.)

[Petrushka]

What I don't understand is the need to expand the Proms, almost yearly. I don't imagine all the extra concerts pay for themselves.

I've been thinking the same but thought that a call to reduce the number of Proms might attract some wrath. Are there too many late night and chamber Proms? Is there a need for a pre-Prom even every evening? If the budget for the Proms as a whole is leading to second rate-ness then in order to maintain standards I'd welcome a cull of the 'extras' and a return to basics.

[teamsaint]

I've been thinking the same but thought that a call to reduce the number of Proms might attract some wrath. Are there too many late night and chamber Proms? Is there a need for a pre-Prom even every evening? If the budget for the Proms as a whole is leading to second rate-ness then in order to maintain standards I'd welcome a cull of the 'extras' and a return to basics.

Of course we all have different needs. From my perspective, (able to get to the odd Prom, 70 miles to travel, able to get home even after a late prom) the extras make the day even more tempting. Obviously many Proms are well worth the effort on their own merits. But 4/5 hours travel, 3 hour queuing are made a lot more palatable by a pre Prom talk, the prospect of a second later gig, or whatever.
Perhaps they could be more creative. Chamber Proms at 5.30 somewhere in the RCM? Better programming at weekends for those tied to provincial offices/workplaces? Some longer , more varied Proms Programmes, with additional music from chamber groups, soloists,or whatever?

[gurnemanz]

I have subdivided the list from Demetrius with my view as to whether they deserve a place or not.

Full Concert
Prom 2 Doctor Who - no
Prom 24 British Light Music - yes
Prom 37 Urban Classic - maybe
Prom 59 Hollywood - yes
Prom 65 Film Music - yes

Late short concert
Prom 3 Doctor Who
Prom 7 Gospel
Prom 22 Naturally 7
Prom 40 6 Music
Prom 54 World Routes
Prom 62 Charlie Parker
(no objection to using late slot for innovations)

Afternoon short
Prom 58 Light Organ Prom - yes

Afternoon full
Prom 66 Family Matinee - yes

I didn't actually attend any of the them. The only ones that I might have attended are Hollywood and Film. The only Prom we did attend was Siegfried. We usually manage two or three.

[Stanley Stewart]

Can't reach a verdict as I'm only aware of the late arrival of summer alongside the pleasures of the Cardiff Singer, Aldeburgh, at Snape and by the seaside, Cheltenham Fesitval, followed almost in tandem by the Proms and the morning concerts from the Queen's Hall during the Edinburgh Int Festival. The Proms Guide was published in April with so much to offer in more than 70+ concerts and the gold dust for me was the Ring cycle and the mesmerising intensity from the Staatskapelle, Berlin under the spell of Daniel Barenboim. The Midsummer Marriage and Billy Budd also registered strongly and I've already played a DVD recording of the Ravel Piano Concerto several times, allowing it precedence over an accumulating stack of recordings, as it fills me with joy, plus the novelty of the surprise encore for four hands by Philippe Jordan and soloist Jean-Yves Thibaudet

. The surprise programme was the late TV scheduling of "Tristan & Isolde" (1st Sept) although the actual Prom was broadcast on R3 (27 July). In this case, distance lent enchantment as the R3 broadcast seemed leaden when sandwiched between the "experience" of Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. However, a BBC 4 telecast, almost six weeks later, brought many dividends, not only with the bonus of subtitles, but in savouring the intimacy of the drama, alongside the proximity of the orchestra and I marvelled at the skill of Robert Dean Smith's Tristan, not only in memorising the role but his sheer stamina and concentration throughout. Indeed, the BBC SO showed signs of tiring in Act 3 but otherwise were in fine nick throughout but I could sense signs of some unseemly tampering with the sound engineering as the R3 broadcast particularly scored in the audio field. No facial contortions from RDS, he was confident of his eye- line and enhanced the move towards naturalism (or the appearance thereof!), free of operatic posturing.

The only time I was nonplussed was watching the hopelessly dated operatic posturing of Joseph Calleja in the Verdi half of Prom 72. Three Verdi arias and a lumbering stage exit after each so that we could listen to the Act 1 Prelude from La Traviata and the Triumphal March from Aida. I began to giggle as I watched Calleja punctuate the end of each aria with his chin-jutting and simultaneously extended arms! He has a fine voice but, my, he is pleased with himself and it all seems to be on automatic pilot. Suddenly realised that the lighting effects between east and west areas of the stage began to resemble Sunday Night at the Palladium as I began to visualise how the addition of a revolving stage could also allow the musicians to acknowledge the applause as they circulated like a carousel! NO - be careful what you wish for... Wrote the whole thing off as a rehearsal for tonight's Proms in the Park, probably a good little earner, too. Otherwise, I've throughly enjoyed at least a dozen memorable concerts.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Interesting assessment by gurnemanz. I would amend as follows.

Full Concert
Prom 2 Doctor Who - no
Prom 24 British Light Music - yes
Prom 37 Urban Classic - NO
Prom 59 Hollywood - yes
Prom 65 Film Music - yes

Late short concert
Prom 3 Doctor Who - Maybe not
Prom 7 Gospel - Probably
Prom 22 Naturally 7 - ?
Prom 40 6 Music - No
Prom 54 World Routes - Yes
Prom 62 Charlie Parker - Yes
(no objection to using late slot for innovations)

Afternoon short
Prom 58 Light Organ Prom - yes

Afternoon full
Prom 66 Family Matinee - yes

[Alison]

All things considered the season has been more enjoyable than seemed likely on perusal of the prospectus back in April.

I'd like to see the BBCSO and Sakari Oramo really given a chance to establish themselves as the home team in future seasons.

Probably a minority opinion, has the proliferation of youth orchestras got a little boring now ? We've had some memorable nights over the years but the percentage return seems a lot lower now. Does Roger feel obliged to accommodate any youth band that happens to be passing ?

To be honest there's still more good stuff on at the Proms than I have time to digest. Perhaps not a vintage season yet a feeling of gratitude is well placed.

[Demetrius]

Not sure of the worth of a Doctor Who Prom in a late slot however. It is supposed to be a children event, isn't it?

[pilamenon]

Worst season ever or full of unexpected delights?

Of what I heard, The Ring was very special, indeed. Musically, that was probably the high point. The Warsaw PO/Wit were very impressive in Lutoslawski and Shostakovich - revealing new details to me in both works and making a rich and deeply satisfying sound, with the Oslo PO/Petrenko not far behind. Billy Budd was outstandingly done. And despite all the negative comments about it, I thoroughly enjoyed last night's Bruckner 8 with Maazel conducting. There were satisfying concerts from all the BBC orchestras, and the BBCPO/Noseda account of Tchaikovsky 2 was particularly delightful. Of the new works that I caught, Charlotte Seither's Language of Leaving made the most impression.

Disappointment: Kennedy's Four Seasons might have been good fun to watch, but all the messing about and mashing up of styles sounded dreadful on the radio, and I am a huge admirer of NK.

I'm not convinced of any insidious plot to remove classical music from the core of the Proms. Despite the increase in other types of concert, there are still more classical concerts to enjoy than ever if you count the additional lunchtime and late night Proms, as well as Sundays. However, the scheduling of the Urban Classic concert in a peak Saturday evening slot did strike me as inconsiderate to the more traditional (working) audience for whom that might be one of their best chances to get to the Proms.

Presentation continues to go downhill. Ken Bruce and the Asian network presenter showed up their R3 counterparts. It seems to have become policy this year not to bother introducing the music properly, when you can have a vacuous sound-bite from a performer instead. The crassest example of this being those back-stage interval chats. They made me turn off.

There's always plenty to enjoy in any Proms season. I find it very hard to compare seasons in absolute terms.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

There's always plenty to enjoy in any Proms season. I find it very hard to compare seasons in absolute terms.

Britten, Tippett, Lutoslawski, Wagner all served extremely well this year (and getting one of the highest-esteemed of all Wagnerian conductors to do the first Ring cycle in a single Season is a real feather in Wright's cap).

British Music (from the Fifteenth Century to a composer still in her twenties) has been better served this year - almost as much as (and with more variety than) the Kenyon tenure in total.

Downers? Well, once again it took a visiting orchestra to programme a work from the sharp end of contemporary composition in a main evening Prom - otherwise, the very old and the very new were left to late-night and matinee slots. At least one Wagner event (don't ask me which one, as they all turned out to have excellent features) could/should have been replaced by a complete Verdi opera. And many of the "outreach" events were opportunities wasted: poorly programmed and/or timed.

Visiting "big name" orchestras - yes, I did miss these (with all due respect to the home teams and those who did visit - which respect is considerable) but, if we have a freeze on the Licence Fee and these orchestras don't have one on their fees ...