Prom 2 - 19.07.14: China PO, Zhang / Balsom / Long Yu

[bluestateprommer]

Do these visiting orchestras pay their own cost or are all the expenses paid by the BBC / Radio3?

If I had to guess, it's a mixture of both. Obviously by dint of being invited by the BBC Proms, the artists receive a fee from the BBC and Radio 3. But if it's anything like what I once read in the NYT about "how do you get to Carnegie Hall?", the BBC would keep all the box office proceeds. In terms of matters like hotels, flights, etc., I think that each ensemble would kick in its own funds, based on this passage from The Cleveland Orchestra's page on its 2014 summer European tour:

http://www.clevelandorchestra.com/en/News-and-Updates/News-Releases/2014-Releases/2014-06-20-European-Tour-Announced/

"SPONSORSHIP AND FUNDING
The Cleveland Orchestra acknowledges the following corporations and individuals for their generous support of the 2014 European Tour: Tele München Group, Miba AG, Dr. Herbert G. Kloiber, Dr. and Mrs. Wolfgang Berndt, Mr. and Mrs. Harro Bodmer, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Umdasch, and Elisabeth and Karlheinz Muhr. With special thanks and recognition for international touring sponsorship by Jones Day."

With respect to Petrushka's concern about the China PO, Petroc had this article in the Evening Standard which may hint at the reasons for their invitation, by reading of subtext:

http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/music/classical-music-is-taking-over-the-world-9594034.html

"More than a dozen professional [Chinese] ensembles have launched, or relaunched, in the past few decades. The finest of them is the Beijing based China Philharmonic — which spearheads a season of visiting Asian orchestras at this summer’s BBC Proms.....The orchestra is relatively new, founded in 2000 by Long Yu, a man best described as China’s equivalent of Valery Gergiev.....An astute political networker, Long Yu has China’s cultural commissars on speed-dial, and controls all three of the nation’s top orchestras — he is music director of the Shanghai and Guangzhou Symphony Orchestras as well as the China Philharmonic."

Petroc further notes:

"They enjoy lavish state funding, officially as high as 60 per cent, though in reality even higher, with local governments donating state-of-the-art halls and rehearsal spaces and guaranteeing the purchase of major allocations of tickets for each concert....Touring abroad is a key to China’s orchestras; the message they project internationally, of a culturally vibrant nation, with tastes not so different to those of the West, is central to Chinese diplomacy."

So it wouldn't surprise me if Chinese government agencies are helping with footing the bills for incidental expenses, again reading between the lines.

Getting back to the question of the "Second Night of the Proms" and harking back to the days when The Proms started on a Saturday night rather than a Friday night (which I didn't realize), here's a compilation of "Second Nights" for the last several years, to see if any trend can be discerned:

2004: "Prom 02 - The Nation's Favourite Prom
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Le nozze di Figaro, K492
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Don Giovanni, K 527
Frederick Delius - A Village Romeo and Juliet
Sergey Rachmaninov - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Rossini - William Tell
Charles-François Gounod - Faust
Arrigo Boito - Mefistofele
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Overture '1812', Op 49"

2005: "Prom 02
Arthur Sullivan - The Yeomen of the Guard
Arthur Sullivan - Pineapple Poll (suite)
Arthur Sullivan - HMS Pinafore"

2006: Prom 02
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - selections from:
Idomeneo, rè di Creta, Ballet Music, K 367
Mitridate, rè di Ponto, K 87
Zaide, K 344
Lucio Silla, K 135
Die Entführung aus dem Serail, K384
La clemenza di Tito, K 621
Don Giovanni, K 527
Le nozze di Figaro, K492
Die Zauberflöte, K 620

2007: "Prom 02 - Great British Film Music
William Walton - The Battle of Britain (arr. Colin Matthews)
Constant Lambert - Anna Karenina
Ralph Vaughan Williams - 49th Parallel
Larry Adler - Genevieve
Maurice Jarre - Lawrence of Arabia
Brian Easdale - The Red Shoes
Malcolm Arnold - The Bridge on the River Kwai
John Ireland - The Overlanders
Sir Richard Rodney Bennett - Yanks
Eric Rogers - What a Carry On!
Patrick Doyle - Much Ado About Nothing
Stephen Warbeck - Shakespeare in Love
Debbie Wiseman - Wilde
John II Powell - Chicken Run
George Fenton - Shadowlands
John Addison - A Bridge Too Far
John Williams - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Eric Coates - March 'The Dambusters'"

2008: "Prom 02
Bax - The Garden of Fand
Gerald Finzi - Intimations of Immortality, Op 29
Edward Elgar - Violin Concerto
J. S. Bach - Partita for Solo Violin No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006 (encore)"

2009: "Prom 02
Joseph Haydn - Die Schöpfung"

2010: "Prom 02
Richard Wagner - Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg"

2011: "Prom 2: Rossini – William Tell
Rossini - William Tell (180 mins)"

2012: "Prom 2: Lerner & Loewe – My Fair Lady
Frederick Loewe - My Fair Lady (170 mins)"

2013: "Prom 2: Doctor Who Prom
Murray Gold - The Mad Man with a Box (3 mins)
Murray Gold - I Am The Doctor (5 mins)
Bizet - Carmen – Suite No. 2 (2 mins)
Murray Gold - The Companions (7 mins)
Murray Gold - Cyber Shard (5 mins)
J. S. Bach - Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 (orch. Leopold Stokowski) (4 mins)
Murray Gold - The Final Chapter of Amelia Pond (7 mins)
Murray Gold - The Rings of Akhaten (6 mins)
Murray Gold - All the Strange, Strange Creatures (4 mins)
Murray Gold - The Impossible Girl (4 mins)
Claude Debussy - La fille aux cheveux de lin (orch. Ben Foster) (3 mins)
Murray Gold - First There Were Daleks (5 mins)
Murray Gold - The Name of The Doctor (8 mins)
Murray Gold - Song for Fifty (11 mins)"

IMHO, I'm not sure there's really a 'pattern' as such. I think it's more to do with how scheduling works out, i.e. it's more or less random, but admittedly there is a 'wave' pattern in this trend, where concerts of shorter (more 'bitty') works are in one time block, but then you have a stretch of blockbuster big works.

[doversoul1]

If I had to guess, it's a mixture of both. Obviously by dint of being invited by the BBC Proms, the artists receive a fee from the BBC and Radio 3. But if it's anything like what I once read in the NYT about "how do you get to Carnegie Hall?", the BBC would keep all the box office proceeds. In terms of matters like hotels, flights, etc., I think that each ensemble would kick in its own funds, based on this passage from The Cleveland Orchestra's page on its 2014 summer European tour:

http://www.clevelandorchestra.com/en/News-and-Updates/News-Releases/2014-Releases/2014-06-20-European-Tour-Announced/

With respect to Petrushka's concern about the China PO, Petroc had this article in the Evening Standard which may hint at the reasons for their invitation, by reading of subtext:

http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/music/classical-music-is-taking-over-the-world-9594034.html

Petroc further notes:

So it wouldn't surprise me if Chinese government agencies are helping with footing the bills for incidental expenses, again reading between the lines.

.

Thank you for the information. As that sounds probable, I have deleted my original post. Still, I wonder how the BBC accepts and rejects the offerings from money-is-no-object orchestras.

[Barbirollians]

It is one thing it seems the BBC have no control over - the programme of the visiting orchestras .

Rather charming old fashioned programme I think .

[mercia]

visiting orchestras are one of this year's "key musical strands"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/proms2014/keystrands/global

[Tony Halstead]

RE: China PO
How refreshing to hear Pomp & Circumstance no 4 played as a straightforward March without all the reverential, emotional baggage that has encrusted it (particularly its Trio) over many years.

[Mary Chambers]

RE: China PO
How refreshing to hear Pomp & Circumstance no 4 played as a straightforward March without all the reverential, emotional baggage that has encrusted it (particularly its Trio) over many years.

I thought Romeo and Juliet sounded rather thin and mechanical, though.

[Pianorak]

I thought Romeo and Juliet sounded rather thin and mechanical, though.

I agree. Strange balance of the various instrument sections - possibly due to microphone placement?

[visualnickmos]

If I had to guess, it's a mixture of both. Obviously by dint of being invited by the BBC Proms, the artists receive a fee from the BBC and Radio 3. But if it's anything like what I once read in the NYT about "how do you get to Carnegie Hall?", the BBC would keep all the box office proceeds. In terms of matters like hotels, flights, etc., I think that each ensemble would kick in its own funds, based on this passage from The Cleveland Orchestra's page on its 2014 summer European tour:

http://www.clevelandorchestra.com/en/News-and-Updates/News-Releases/2014-Releases/2014-06-20-European-Tour-Announced/

With respect to Petrushka's concern about the China PO, Petroc had this article in the Evening Standard which may hint at the reasons for their invitation, by reading of subtext:

http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/music/classical-music-is-taking-over-the-world-9594034.html

Petroc further notes:



So it wouldn't surprise me if Chinese government agencies are helping with footing the bills for incidental expenses, again reading between the lines.

Getting back to the question of the "Second Night of the Proms" and harking back to the days when The Proms started on a Saturday night rather than a Friday night (which I didn't realize), here's a compilation of "Second Nights" for the last several years, to see if any trend can be discerned:

2004: "Prom 02 - The Nation's Favourite Prom
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Le nozze di Figaro, K492
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Don Giovanni, K 527
Frederick Delius - A Village Romeo and Juliet
Sergey Rachmaninov - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Rossini - William Tell
Charles-François Gounod - Faust
Arrigo Boito - Mefistofele
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Overture '1812', Op 49"

2005: "Prom 02
Arthur Sullivan - The Yeomen of the Guard
Arthur Sullivan - Pineapple Poll (suite)
Arthur Sullivan - HMS Pinafore"

2006: Prom 02
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - selections from:
Idomeneo, rè di Creta, Ballet Music, K 367
Mitridate, rè di Ponto, K 87
Zaide, K 344
Lucio Silla, K 135
Die Entführung aus dem Serail, K384
La clemenza di Tito, K 621
Don Giovanni, K 527
Le nozze di Figaro, K492
Die Zauberflöte, K 620

2007: "Prom 02 - Great British Film Music
William Walton - The Battle of Britain (arr. Colin Matthews)
Constant Lambert - Anna Karenina
Ralph Vaughan Williams - 49th Parallel
Larry Adler - Genevieve
Maurice Jarre - Lawrence of Arabia
Brian Easdale - The Red Shoes
Malcolm Arnold - The Bridge on the River Kwai
John Ireland - The Overlanders
Sir Richard Rodney Bennett - Yanks
Eric Rogers - What a Carry On!
Patrick Doyle - Much Ado About Nothing
Stephen Warbeck - Shakespeare in Love
Debbie Wiseman - Wilde
John II Powell - Chicken Run
George Fenton - Shadowlands
John Addison - A Bridge Too Far
John Williams - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Eric Coates - March 'The Dambusters'"

2008: "Prom 02
Bax - The Garden of Fand
Gerald Finzi - Intimations of Immortality, Op 29
Edward Elgar - Violin Concerto
J. S. Bach - Partita for Solo Violin No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006 (encore)"

2009: "Prom 02
Joseph Haydn - Die Schöpfung"

2010: "Prom 02
Richard Wagner - Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg"

2011: "Prom 2: Rossini – William Tell
Rossini - William Tell (180 mins)"

2012: "Prom 2: Lerner & Loewe – My Fair Lady
Frederick Loewe - My Fair Lady (170 mins)"

2013: "Prom 2: Doctor Who Prom
Murray Gold - The Mad Man with a Box (3 mins)
Murray Gold - I Am The Doctor (5 mins)
Bizet - Carmen – Suite No. 2 (2 mins)
Murray Gold - The Companions (7 mins)
Murray Gold - Cyber Shard (5 mins)
J. S. Bach - Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 (orch. Leopold Stokowski) (4 mins)
Murray Gold - The Final Chapter of Amelia Pond (7 mins)
Murray Gold - The Rings of Akhaten (6 mins)
Murray Gold - All the Strange, Strange Creatures (4 mins)
Murray Gold - The Impossible Girl (4 mins)
Claude Debussy - La fille aux cheveux de lin (orch. Ben Foster) (3 mins)
Murray Gold - First There Were Daleks (5 mins)
Murray Gold - The Name of The Doctor (8 mins)
Murray Gold - Song for Fifty (11 mins)"

IMHO, I'm not sure there's really a 'pattern' as such. I think it's more to do with how scheduling works out, i.e. it's more or less random, but admittedly there is a 'wave' pattern in this trend, where concerts of shorter (more 'bitty') works are in one time block, but then you have a stretch of blockbuster big works.

I see no trend here whatsoever (ohh - funny trumpet sound right now - as I listen live to tonight's offering) but there is some pretty dull stuff in the list - not really 'top drawer' - more sort of 'let's look with it in true old BBC fashion.....

But to be serious for a second, the Proms is a fantastic music festival, and long may it be so. This very afternoon, I was chatting with a French lady here in Hérault who loves the Proms, and sometimes makes trips to London just to here a few concerts over a few days.

Therefore, I won't hear a word against it. The one thing the Proms ain't is parochial - that alone is to be applauded IMVHO.

[kernelbogey]

Both the Liszt and the encore sounded to me rather flashy. Looking forward to other comments. Have not bothered with Part Two.

[visualnickmos]

If you feel that I have written rubbish, please feel free to say so, and why. I am no expert in music at all, so all I do is to write as I find.

[ardcarp]

Not rubbish at all, visual, that's what the Forum is for....people writing as they find.
Refreshing, IMO.

[Alison]

All a bit boring tonight I fear excepting the P&C March.

Why can't we have the complete set of marches just for once ?!

(No, I don't want the Tony Payne one).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

They were never intended to be performed as a group.

[pastoralguy]

I've heard a lot of this concert on the car radio and I've enjoyed it very much. I really liked the trumpet concerto.

I'm now enjoying the 'Chinese Restaurant' music encore.

[Alison]

They were never intended to be performed as a group.

A lot of us listen to stuff in unintended little batches.

I did say Just once.