Chailly cancels Proms

[cloughie]

Any more bids ?

How about a thread for each Mozart Symphony - somewhere between 41 and 50 something? Actually there was some debate about the decline in no of concert performances of Mozart Symphonies - I suggest that each Mahler Symphony performance should be programmed with a Mozart Symphony in the first half.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Or perhaps GM was decades ahead of his time?

Or audiences decades behind theirs? (Thank you Mr Varese.)

[Alison]

Haydn and Mahler work better for me. Mozart goes with Bruckner ! Can't explain it but there we are ....

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Haydn and Mahler work better for me. Mozart goes with Bruckner ! Can't explain it but there we are ....

The two M s are too similar - and pity the poor orchestra that's expected to play the Jupiter in the first half of a concert and Mahler's Fifth after the interval! (or the other way round! )

For Bruckner 5 and 8, I'd programme a selection of Bach's organ works for the first "half".

[Pabmusic]

...Those who don't like it will just have to do what I do with Rimsky's Scheherazade, or Ravel's orchestral reduction of Mussorgsky's Pictures - just leave it for those who do and listen to something more to their tastes: there's a lot of other stuff out there.

Exactly. Why does such an obvious point escape people? I'm no great Mahler fan, but why should I want to prevent others hearing it? It only becomes a serious problem when it becomes likely that we're missing out on things because so much Mahler is played. Problem is - playing less Mahler would be absolutely no guarantee that we'd have more [insert the name of your favourite 'hard-done-by' composer] instead of more [insert the name of someone you're happy not to hear more of].

[Roehre]

Or perhaps GM was decades ahead of his time?

"His time would come", he said himself.

It looks that he was right

[cloughie]

Haydn and Mahler work better for me. Mozart goes with Bruckner ! Can't explain it but there we are ....

It's time Mahler had a damned good Haydn!

[P. G. Tipps]

Exactly. Why does such an obvious point escape people? .

Probably because it was never the point in the first place?

The point is not that Mahler's music should not be performed and not performed regularly. Of course it should!

The real point is that there are plenty of other well-established composers whose music should always have a recognised place at every Proms season. One can just imagine the reaction of some music-lovers if Mahler had been completely ignored at Proms scheduling, but space was found for seven Bruckner symphonies and, to add insult to injury, the Pet Shop Boys. In that most unlikely of events the complainants would have my full support as it would be just as absurd! As far as I'm aware nobody here is calling for "no Mahler" just maybe a teeny-weeny bit less of him and a teeny-weeny bit more of some others?

It's simply a question of a reasonable "balance" ... that's the one and only point, at least as far as I'm concerned!

[Pabmusic]

... that's the one and only point, at least as far as I'm concerned!

And a good point it is…

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The point is not that Mahler's music should not be performed and not performed regularly.

But this was precisely the suggestion that was made in #57 which led to Pabs making the point. A "moritorium" is not "just maybe a teeny-weeny bit less", it is precisely a call (however tongue-in-cheekedly made) "for 'no Mahler'".

It's the performers and programmers who need to be persuaded to give us Jeux - but I wouldn't want to hear that at the expense of Mahler's Seventh (or whatever), but at the expense of Palmolive Faith.

Failing (or in addition) that, broadcast The Art of Fugue Live from Glastonbury on Radio One!

[P. G. Tipps]

But this was precisely the suggestion that was made in #57 which led to Pabs making the point. A "moritorium" is not "just maybe a teeny-weeny bit less", it is precisely a call (however tongue-in-cheekedly made) "for 'no Mahler'".

Yes, that was careless of me ... one member did indeed (however much tongue-in-cheek) call for 'no Mahler' ... at least for a bit!!

I suspect mere "moans"could well turn into "resignation calls'" if, heaven forbid, such an unthinkable thing were ever to come to pass ...

[VodkaDilc]

Email from RW just arrived informing ticket-holders of the change. Significantly it's one of those "no-reply" emals, so a response is not anticipated.

Re-reading the email, I see that it begins "Dear customer". I can't think what the alternative should be, but it sounds wrong - rather like the railway companies which refer to customers rather than passengers. I notice that both ENO and the Royal Opera manage to insert the recipient's name, even in what appear to be mass emails.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I suspect mere "moans"could well turn into "resignation calls'" if, heaven forbid, such an unthinkable thing were ever to come to pass ...

[greenilex]

"Dear Patron" or maybe "Dear concertgoer"?

[mlb7171]

Coming rather late to this 'party', although I have tickets for the Gewandhaus Mahler 3... I have to say what no-one seems to have yet picked up on is that Chailly's replacement, Alan Gilbert, has no relationship with the orchestra. He has conducted them in one programme only, making his debut with them, last season. Sure they are going to rehearse and all that, but I would suggest a great orchestra like the Gewandhaus needs to be touring with someone with whom they have at the very least, regular sight. Mind you, at least Gilbert has conducted at the Proms already, in Luzern (same tour) it's his debut. I think that's just mad, you don't make your debut in Luzern with an orchestra you have conducted once. But that's modern management for you, best not turn it down. Gradually talking myself into returning my tickets now...!!!