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

[marvin]

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

Do you know HS, with people like yourself still around - I guess you are older than me (76), it is no wonder I have difficulty trying to convert people to listening to 'Classical' music. Like many here your views and condemnation of so much regarding the Proms, each years makes me wonder why you bother to listen at all.
Personally, I don't care much for the LNOTP and never have but I am sure that I managed to get tickets many moons ago now for either the first or last nights but I cannot remember, however I am sure that it featured either Semprini or Winifred Attwell playing the Grieg Piano Concerto!
No doubt you have had an illustrious career in music making but your views here sadden me, with your continual unhelpful criticisms of Orchestras, Soloists and Conductors etc. whom to most, give pleasure.

[Petrushka]

The worse season of Proms that I can remember.

I can't but help agree with this assessment. While there were some memorable evenings the whole fell well short of anything approaching a vintage season and, not surprisingly, audiences were slightly down on previous years.

I'd say some surgery is required if the Proms are to survive in a form we will recognise. To start with, there are too many concerts. I'd dispense with most of the late evening Proms, cutting them down to perhaps half a dozen quality events. The 6.30 starts for those evenings with a late nighter must have affected the audience size for the main event and so should be quickly ditched. Yes, the BBCSO had an easy time of it this season with their principal conductor notable by his absence for most of it. The BBCSO should be the backbone of the Proms and with many more players to call on than used to be the case there should be no problem in them having a high profile.

In addition, I'd return the Proms to what it should always be: a classical music festival so no more Pop acts please. Perhaps the season should also be shortened by a week.

Given the reality of budgetary constraints the above measures should ensure the recruitment of world class orchestras, instrumentalists and conductors and the return of the Proms to being 'the greatest music festival in the world'.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

In addition, I'd return the Proms to what it should always be: a classical music festival so no more Pop acts please. Perhaps the season should also be shortened by a week.

Given the reality of budgetary constraints the above measures should ensure the recruitment of world class orchestras, instrumentalists and conductors and the return of the Proms to being 'the greatest music festival in the world'.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Perhaps, as I said on another thread, the classical Proms should be given back their old name of Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, and the other stuff be called the BBC Proms.

[Master Jacques]

Bring back the Seasongs !

I take it you mean Vivaldi's Four Seasongs?
Or perhaps the Singapore SO doing Four Sarongs??

Either are more likely than anything remotely patriotic these days, with or without Scotland's future involvement.

[Master Jacques]

classical[/I] music festival so no more Pop acts please. Perhaps the season should also be shortened by a week.

Oh I don't know: a Festival needs pretensions, and the 2014 season has boasted nothing more pretentious than those embarrassingly pompous and solipsistic pop acts.

What was striking about much of the rest of this over-long and ramshackle season, was its lack of any coherent pretensions whatsoever. Some good individual moments, of course, but as a Festival it has been a back-foot, scattergun, piecemeal business. Some of the programming was startlingly inept.

I'm glad it's over, for once.

[Hornspieler]

Do you know HS, with people like yourself still around - I guess you are older than me (76), it is no wonder I have difficulty trying to convert people to listening to 'Classical' music. Like many here your views and condemnation of so much regarding the Proms, each years makes me wonder why you bother to listen at all.
Personally, I don't care much for the LNOTP and never have but I am sure that I managed to get tickets many moons ago now for either the first or last nights but I cannot remember, however I am sure that it featured either Semprini or Winifred Attwell playing the Grieg Piano Concerto!
No doubt you have had an illustrious career in music making but your views here sadden me, with your continual unhelpful criticisms of Orchestras, Soloists and Conductors etc. whom to most, give pleasure.

I would have thought that my post, spoken tongue in cheek, might still have conveyed my message (that this season's Proms were but a shadow of former years) whilst highlighting the shortcomings of the programming, presentation and content of the last few weeks.

I have never considered it to be the duty of the BBC to convert people to classical music. Their promotion of "music" on Radio 1 and 2 must surely have an opposite effect.
No. Radio 3 should provide an opportunity for the broadcasting of music for those who already are devotees of classical music, drama, discussion and all the Arts - which was the original stated purpose of the BBC Third Programme.

So there is no place, in my view, for Mary Poppins, Ivor Novello or suchlike items that have crept into the Prom concert series. Those things belong on Radio 2.

This is a discussion forum. We may not agree with the opinions of others but we must respect their right to state them.

Yes. I am still around. Age has no relevance but my experience both as a performer and as an Arts Administrator, responsible for Budgetting, Scheduling, Auditioning and producing "the goods" for many distinguished conductors and solo performers is something which I feel is almost my duty to share with others.

Hornspieler

[Hornspieler]

I can't but help agree with this assessment. While there were some memorable evenings the whole fell well short of anything approaching a vintage season and, not surprisingly, audiences were slightly down on previous years.

I'd say some surgery is required if the Proms are to survive in a form we will recognise. To start with, there are too many concerts. I'd dispense with most of the late evening Proms, cutting them down to perhaps half a dozen quality events. The 6.30 starts for those evenings with a late nighter must have affected the audience size for the main event and so should be quickly ditched. Yes, the BBCSO had an easy time of it this season with their principal conductor notable by his absence for most of it. The BBCSO should be the backbone of the Proms and with many more players to call on than used to be the case there should be no problem in them having a high profile.

In addition, I'd return the Proms to what it should always be: a classical music festival so no more Pop acts please. Perhaps the season should also be shortened by a week.

Given the reality of budgetary constraints the above measures should ensure the recruitment of world class orchestras, instrumentalists and conductors and the return of the Proms to being 'the greatest music festival in the world'.

A very fair post, Petrushka, and I am in total agreement - particularly with the final statement.

Hornspieler

[Hornspieler]

Perhaps, as I said on another thread, the classical Proms should be given back their old name of Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, and the other stuff be called the BBC Proms.

I wish!!!

HS

[VodkaDilc]

Has anyone really explaned why the Last Night has taken the direction it has? It does not need the Mary Poppins or similar items to fill the hall - it's always going to be a sell-out. Neither does it need that repertoire to get people to listen or watch. It's a bit of a mystery to me.

I would not say it's been a disappointing season. From the concerts I attended, I would say that The Kingdom, Oedipus Rex, the Glagolitic Mass and several others were among the best I've heard in recent years.

And one more vote for the return of the Henry Wood Proms - that's what I've always called them, whatever the BBC brainwashers might try to do. (I noticed last night that they are trying to force "BBC Music" down our throats now.)

[Hornspieler]

Oh I don't know: a Festival needs pretensions, and the 2014 season has boasted nothing more pretentious than those embarrassingly pompous and solipsistic pop acts.

What was striking about much of the rest of this over-long and ramshackle season, was its lack of any coherent pretensions whatsoever. Some good individual moments, of course, but as a Festival it has been a back-foot, scattergun, piecemeal business. Some of the programming was startlingly inept.

I'm glad it's over, for once.

I'm with you all the way.

HS

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I would not say it's been a disappointing season. From the concerts I attended, I would say that The Kingdom, Oedipus Rex, the Glagolitic Mass and several others were among the best I've heard in recent years.

Yes - I agree with this. It looked the most unimaginative, humdrum programming since the Kenyon days, but the actual performances were, for the most part, excellent.

[gurnemanz]

I didn't tune in to nearly enough of them to venture an overall judgement. I've done what I've done for the last 40 years and picked and chosen the ones that take my fancy, usually quite a small minority. The three we went to were well worth it for a fiver: Coote/Elgar + Elder Eroica, Norrington St John, JEG Missa Solemnis.

[tigajen]

Do you know HS, with people like yourself still around - I guess you are older than me (76), it is no wonder I have difficulty trying to convert people to listening to 'Classical' music. Like many here your views and condemnation of so much regarding the Proms, each years makes me wonder why you bother to listen at all.
Personally, I don't care much for the LNOTP and never have but I am sure that I managed to get tickets many moons ago now for either the first or last nights but I cannot remember, however I am sure that it featured either Semprini or Winifred Attwell playing the Grieg Piano Concerto!
No doubt you have had an illustrious career in music making but your views here sadden me, with your continual unhelpful criticisms of Orchestras, Soloists and Conductors etc. whom to most, give pleasure.

Hear Hear!

[Alison]

Maybe cut the budget for the Proms if that's the issue. Give a decent wodge to Radio 2 and let them have a 10 day Showtime Festival or whatever. Lop off a week or two and lets than have a classical music festival pure and simple.

I accept there's some blurring of musical definitions and boundaries but Mary Poppins has bugger all to do with Radio 3 as I understood it. The LNOP would be a wonderful opportunity to introduce say a Mozart Piano Concerto. It's not just that we fill the Proms with rubbish, it's more that we waste golden opportunities to immerse folk in the real thing. Mr Oramo can say what he likes about music education; He and those who dream up the BBC proms need to consider their own contribution.