Prom 1 - 18.07.14: The First Night - Elgar: The Kingdom, BBC SO / A. Davis

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

the Last Night of the Proms appears, on the face of it, to go out simultaneously on radio and TV but I shall happily concede that in reality it does not

I think that's the intention, though in practice Radio 3 FM is a few seconds ahead of DAB. Digital TV cokes a poor third as there's more decompression to deal with.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The Kingdom got a favourable mention on a Radio 3 trailer this evening, but why, oh why do the continuity people (you will have gathered by now that I regard these as a very low life-form) or the producers or simply the trailer editors have to play several layers of conflicting music AT THE SAME TIME?

[VodkaDilc]

Reading the weather forecast, the big question seems to be whether it's shorts and tee shirt or weatherproof mac and umbrella tomorrow. That walk back to South Ken station can seem very long in the rain.

[Mary Chambers]

I'm very glad that I won't be in the RAH tomorrow night, either as audience or - much worse! - as performer. It will be far too hot.

I'll watch at home, even though I'm not keen on the piece (which I have sung), because I like to see how the performers cope.

[Boilk]

I'll watch at home, even though I'm not keen on the piece (which I have sung), because I like to see how the performers cope.

So you won't need the volume on then?

[mercia]

Sir Andrew gets nervous

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-28316173

on that proms introduction programme last night I think somebody said that each concert would be available for 30 days afterwards rather than 7 as previously

[antongould]

......

on that proms introduction programme last night I think somebody said that each concert would be available for 30 days afterwards rather than 7 as previously

Mrs Radio64 has said this quite a bit so it has to be true.........

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Sir Andrew gets nervous
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-28316173

And the BBC's Arts and Entertainment correspondent thinks there's a Strauss piece called Don Jon.

[Honoured Guest]

And the BBC's Arts and Entertainment correspondent thinks there's a Strauss piece called Don Jon.

I feel a bit queasy when BBC News reports on, or puffs, a BBC event. This Don Jon howler seems to indicate that the correspondent has no particular interest, and the implication is that he might well have chosen to report a more newsworthy story if his employer hadn't twisted his arm to puff this BBC event by interviewing Andy Davis.

I have no objection to the BBC promoting its programmes and events, but it's surely unprofessional for BBC News to puff them uncritically.

[Cockney Sparrow]

on that proms introduction programme last night I think somebody said that each concert would be available for 30 days afterwards rather than 7 as previously

This will be great (on the basis it proves to be so....). (I return mid August from a month travelling in South America).

[mercia]

oh dear, perhaps I misheard - I've just read this

Every Prom will be available on demand for 7 days with many of the performances gathered in collections available for 30 days on the Proms website and in the BBC iPlayer Radio app. Additional Proms coverage will also be available on BBC Red Button

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2014/proms-new-presenters.html

probably bits and pieces chopped from the televised concerts (???)

[Stephen Smith]

Ah well - many if not most of the Proms get re-broadcast, one way or another, within 12 months or so !

[PJPJ]

I'm very glad that I won't be in the RAH tomorrow night, either as audience or - much worse! - as performer. It will be far too hot.

I'll watch at home, even though I'm not keen on the piece (which I have sung), because I like to see how the performers cope.

It looks as though it will be shorts and tee shirt weather. I don't understand how the performers cope in this weather either - I do not envy them a bit and now couldn't even cope at all in the audience. I hope all those going will have a great evening and report back how it sounded in the hall. I look forward to reading about your reactions to Prom No 1.

[ardcarp]

As I watch/listen (in the cool of our sitting room) my admiration for Andrew Davies as a director of large choral forces is undiminished. Not so my regard for The Kingdom itself. Boult's preference for it over The Dream is hard to understand. I find it rambles a bit, and this is mainly because of the 'libretto'. Extracts from the Bible spun together were no doubt received with great reverence and solemnity by a contemporary audience, but surely Newman's 'Gerontius' poem is what inspired Elgar to (IMO) a higher musical achievement? It's almost as if Elgar were striving to match that earlier inspiration, and finding it a bit of an effort.

These are very personal views and no doubt others will disagree vehemently.

[LeMartinPecheur]

After listening to Pt 1 on R3 I switched to the BBC2 deferred broadcast via Freeview. The sound seems to be horribly crackly. Anyone else finding it so?

We don't seem to have any thunder and lightning down here in Kernow and I've never heard anything like it before on digital TV or radio. In one sense I hope this is a local problem or even one in my hi-fi so other boarders aren't suffering, but on the other hand...