Proms 2015: Today's the day

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  • french frank
    Administrator/Moderator
    • Feb 2007
    • 30456

    Originally posted by Honoured Guest View Post
    Interesting. Is that because of the music, the performers, the atmosphere?
    In my case, yes.
    It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

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    • Honoured Guest

      Bristol Old Vic is the oldest continuously working theatre in the English speaking world, a wedding and event hire venue, and a heritage destination.


      Have you ever attended? Would you be interested in any form of Proms concerts in Bristol?

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      • french frank
        Administrator/Moderator
        • Feb 2007
        • 30456

        Originally posted by Honoured Guest View Post
        http://www.bristololdvic.org.uk/proms2015.html

        Have you ever attended? Would you be interested in any form of Proms concerts in Bristol?
        I'd have to admit to be turned off by the worst rather than seeking out the best. The first Bristol Proms was enough. But binge concert-going isn't for me anyway: I'd rather look at the St George's programmes throughout the year.
        It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

        Comment

        • Serial_Apologist
          Full Member
          • Dec 2010
          • 37814

          Originally posted by french frank View Post
          In my case, yes.
          Spam in Elium, at Smary Reckliffe on August 1st could be impressive, remembering as one does the acoustic in that magnificent church.

          Comment

          • Honoured Guest

            Originally posted by french frank View Post
            The first Bristol Proms was enough. But binge concert-going isn't for me anyway: I'd rather look at the St George's programmes throughout the year.
            I'm sure that Bristol Old Vic welcomes anyone who chooses to attend just one concert from the week! You make an interesting point, though. Some of the Proms criticism here seems to stem from people wishing that the entire series of concerts were of special personal appeal.

            Comment

            • ferneyhoughgeliebte
              Gone fishin'
              • Sep 2011
              • 30163

              Originally posted by Honoured Guest View Post
              When you've decided, tell us what you're doing instead.
              Well, seeing that you ask, I shall certainly be using some of the time to "do" the Three Peaks, and walk along Hadrian's Wall - and it's been four years now since I last saw the sea, so I hope to remedy that. I've also have a complete Gibbon (Decline & Fall, not the Goodies) which I shall read. I intend also getting down to some serious analytical work and doing some writing - and, if certain current plans turn as I'm hoping they will, preparing for a Youth Drama company production of MacBeth.

              I shall listen to some of the Prom relays, but most of the time I shall be making up my own Proms Season from my CD and DVD collection.
              [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

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              • Eine Alpensinfonie
                Host
                • Nov 2010
                • 20573

                Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post
                Well, seeing that you ask, I shall certainly be using some of the time to "do" the Three Peaks...


                Let me know if you want some company.

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                • subcontrabass
                  Full Member
                  • Nov 2010
                  • 2780

                  Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post
                  Spam in Elium, at Smary Reckliffe on August 1st could be impressive, remembering as one does the acoustic in that magnificent church.
                  Yes, but what is in the first half? (No details given yet) Do I want to walk half a mile between the two parts of a concert?

                  Comment

                  • subcontrabass
                    Full Member
                    • Nov 2010
                    • 2780

                    Originally posted by Honoured Guest View Post
                    Interesting. Is that because of the music, the performers, the atmosphere?
                    Style, presentation, content (and lack of detail of the full content).

                    Comment

                    • Suffolkcoastal
                      Full Member
                      • Nov 2010
                      • 3292

                      The complaint that seems to endlessly be aimed at those of us who find little or nothing worth going to, is that we just want a Season full of nothing but rarities. This is not the case at all. Of course there should be plenty of proms with well known works by well known composers, but too often these days the Proms is just a repeat of many of the composers and works that fill up the average orchestra's concert season, so it becomes more like an intensive continuation, albeit with a more varied choice of orchestras, than a distinct event. The Proms season is the ideal opportunity to present lesser known works & composers alongside the more familiar, giving the audience/listeners a chance to sample something they otherwise probably wouldn't have the opportunity to hear regularly or again in a live performance. Some listeners may enjoy all, some, or none of these works, but at least they've been given an opportunity to hear them. I wouldn't necessarily suggest a whole concert devoted to little known composers, but they should be at least one work by a lesser known composer in a good number of the concerts along with the familiar. Concert programming also needs to be looked at carefully, there seems to be too many concerts recently where one half looks enticing, but the other half is of no interest, yes this is sometimes down to what the individual listener's tastes are, but it also sometimes down to programming works that just don't sit comfortably with each other on a concert programme.

                      I'd be quite happy to find half a dozen concerts to attend, these days I struggle to find one. Its not cheap getting down to London and back, and you want it to be worth the effort and expense.

                      Comment

                      • Honoured Guest

                        Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post
                        Well, seeing that you ask, I shall certainly be using some of the time to "do" the Three Peaks, and walk along Hadrian's Wall - and it's been four years now since I last saw the sea, so I hope to remedy that. I've also have a complete Gibbon (Decline & Fall, not the Goodies) which I shall read. I intend also getting down to some serious analytical work and doing some writing - and, if certain current plans turn as I'm hoping they will, preparing for a Youth Drama company production of MacBeth.

                        I shall listen to some of the Prom relays, but most of the time I shall be making up my own Proms Season from my CD and DVD collection.
                        As I understand you, you wanted to attend some Prom concerts but there were none to your taste, and I hoped you would say that you were instead going to some other particular Festival or concert series. But your alternative plan includes no live concerts at all. This seems to be a howling indictment of the UK classical music scene, that no live concerts are of sufficient appeal for you to attend and that you cling to some forlorn hope every year that the BBC Proms will fill the void.

                        Comment

                        • french frank
                          Administrator/Moderator
                          • Feb 2007
                          • 30456

                          Leopard. Spots.
                          It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

                          Comment

                          • Simon B
                            Full Member
                            • Dec 2010
                            • 782

                            On a practical note, as far as I can see there are no scheduled finish times given for the concerts. This is a first, at least in decades.

                            This is also comprehensively a pain in the.

                            Are they given in the printed guide perhaps?

                            Yes, it is possible to estimate yourself, and yes occasionally they have been seriously adrift (Parsifal?!). However, in general they have always been remarkably accurate. Presumably someone has to work out the timings well in advance for radio broadcasting purposes anyway as they're all live.

                            Not exactly helpful for those of us with limited (or none if the timings are wrong) options for catching long distance trains etc afterwards.

                            Comment

                            • eighthobstruction
                              Full Member
                              • Nov 2010
                              • 6449

                              Originally posted by french frank View Post
                              Leopard. Spots.
                              Winkle. Picker....
                              bong ching

                              Comment

                              • Eine Alpensinfonie
                                Host
                                • Nov 2010
                                • 20573

                                Originally posted by french frank View Post
                                Leopard. Spots.
                                Message received and understood.

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