Prom 76 - 13.09.14: The Last Night; BBC SO, Oramo

[Barbirollians]

Bring back the Seasongs !

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Bring back the Seasongs !

But that would mean playing something lasting longer than 4 minutes.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I think by now everyone knows it's Britannia rule the waves, but you still get a sort of muddle in the next bit because the people who are too mean to buy programmes still think it's Britons never shall be slaves.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It wasn't Elisabeth Watts singing Feed the birds, it was Ruthie Henshall. (Ex girlfriend of HRH The Prince Edward no less!)

To be honest, she almost made me a fan of Roger Norrington.

[amateur51]

It might be preferable one year to substitute the VPO's New Year's Day Strauss programme with the Last Night, and vice versa?!

Two very surprised audiences guaranteed

[pastoralguy]

It might be preferable one year to substitute the VPO's New Year's Day Strauss programme with the Last Night, and vice versa?!

Two very surprised audiences guaranteed

[Flosshilde]

I expect the Viennese audience would still clap along.

& would squaddies from along the road fill the front rows of the Arena?

[BBMmk2]

Bring back the Seasongs !

Agreed! Elgar's C No.1, lasts more than 4 minutes?

[Mary Chambers]

Elizabeth Watts would have sung the Mary Poppins stuff much better than Ruthie Henshall did, AND she wouldn't have needed a microphone. But perhaps it's not to her taste. She was wasted rather in that strange Strauss piece.

Sakari Oramo's a jolly chap, isn't he? He was enjoying himself! I appreciated his speech about music education, a pet subject of mine.

A bit poignant to hear Auld Lang Syne at the end.....

[Barbirollians]

I see as soon as the patriotic stuff came on Glasgow and Swansea for cut off - perhaps Alex Salmond has decreed a rendition of Loch Lomond instead with Donald where's your troosers to follow ?

[gurnemanz]

Heard last part of the second half on M4 driving back from London. (Lovely Renata Pokupić and Roger Vignoles recital at Wigmore). Roderick Williams good as ever, Mary Poppins section rather mystifying, Plymouth Hoe pleasant but a bit inconsequential. Elgar P and C March quite snappy. Also found myself missing the seasongs.

[ardcarp]

Also found myself missing the seasongs.

Me too. But it was a jolly last night, and Oramo was great, I thought. Wouldn't mind if I never heard Plymouth Hoe or Taillefer again.

[Blotto]

Oramo was great, I thought.

His encore duet with Janine Jansen was very playfully done.

[Ockeghem's Razor]

I see as soon as the patriotic stuff came on Glasgow and Swansea for cut off - perhaps Alex Salmond has decreed a rendition of Loch Lomond instead with Donald where's your troosers to follow ?

Perhaps the piobaireachd 'Too Long In This Condition' would be a better fit?

[Hornspieler]

So, the Farcical treatment of what used to be the traditional farewell to the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts is now finished and done with.

The worse season of Proms that I can remember. Is it the fault of the planners? Shortage of money?

The BBC Symphony orchestra, once the backbone of the season, have had an easy time of it, hiving out as much as possible to the Corporation's regional outfits (which have shown the flagship orchestra up on occasions)

Does the BBC intend to hand over the whole thing to the Opposition? Well they've made a start with their imports of shoddy goods from China and Arabia, World youth orchestras and International "Peace in Our Time" orchestras.

So what is the future for next year?

"All abroad for the Proms Season! Get your tickets here!" will appear on your internet screens.

"Friday Night is European Night" will replace "Friday Night is Music night" on BBC One and Radio 2 throughout the season.

Perhaps the BBC will adopt the Edinburgh Festival into the Proms season. That would I'm sure, have been welcomed this year.

Okay, so its Sunday morning. Not my best time and I didn't sleep well last night. I had visions of hundreds of Chinese violinists "climbing every mountain" and occupying Broadcasting House and Maida Vale Studios.

Take a close look at this season's proms schedule - the invasion has already begun.

HS