First Night sweepstakes

[maestro267]

As the Proms are announced on Wednesday coming, any guesses as to which British choral work will be on the First Night programme. We've had a lot of the established classics in recent years, but there are still a few to get through before the cycle begins again. I'm going for either The Dream of Gerontius (which would be the only item on the programme; no interval) or A Child of Our Time (second half of its programme).

[mrbouffant]

Perhaps Gurrelieder again...

[bluestateprommer]

As the Proms are announced on Wednesday coming, any guesses as to which British choral work will be on the First Night programme. We've had a lot of the established classics in recent years, but there are still a few to get through before the cycle begins again. I'm going for either The Dream of Gerontius (which would be the only item on the programme; no interval) or A Child of Our Time (second half of its programme).

IMHO:

* Gerontius: very unlikely
* A Child of Our Time: maybe, but probably also unlikely, due to sheer length
* Gurrelieder: no, if there indeed will be a BBC SSO Prom later in the season, as speculated elsewhere

Here is perhaps a guess from this side of the pond:

RVW: Serenade to Music

It would fit with this being Shakespeare commemoration year, as well as being very audience-friendly for the First Night. Or any other Shakespeare setting for chorus and orchestra (can't think of others off the top).

[Ferretfancy]

IMHO:

* Gerontius: very unlikely
* A Child of Our Time: maybe, but probably also unlikely, due to sheer length
* Gurrelieder: no, if there indeed will be a BBC SSO Prom later in the season, as speculated elsewhere

Here is perhaps a guess from this side of the pond:

RVW: Serenade to Music

It would fit with this being Shakespeare commemoration year, as well as being very audience-friendly for the First Night. Or any other Shakespeare setting for chorus and orchestra (can't think of others off the top).

How about Berlioz's Romeo and Juliet, perhaps preceded by the King Lear Overture? The BBC SO and Chorus performed it at the Barbican in

January with Sir Andrew Davis, so it's in their memory bank and very good it was too.

[Petrushka]

How about Berlioz's Romeo and Juliet, perhaps preceded by the King Lear Overture? The BBC SO and Chorus performed it at the Barbican in

January with Sir Andrew Davis, so it's in their memory bank and very good it was too.

The major anniversary this year is the Shakespeare 400th and the Berlioz Romeo and Juliet would be my guess too. The centenary of the Battle of the Somme just falls outside the Proms season but I'd like to see some commemoration somewhere in the season. The question is: what?

[EdgeleyRob]

The major anniversary this year is the Shakespeare 400th and the Berlioz Romeo and Juliet would be my guess too. The centenary of the Battle of the Somme just falls outside the Proms season but I'd like to see some commemoration somewhere in the season. The question is: what?

Look no further than Sir Arthur Bliss,Morning Heroes (Robert Nichols, 'Dawn on the Somme') but I suppose there will be a War Requiem.

My money's on Sir Gerge Dyson's The Canterbury Pilgrims for the opening night

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Not. Even. Close.

Given what the Radio 3/BBCSO management has recently done to the BBC Symphony Chorus, some if not all of the above suggestions are delusional.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

As the Proms are announced on Wednesday coming, any guesses as to which British choral work will be on the First Night programme. We've had a lot of the established classics in recent years, but there are still a few to get through before the cycle begins again. I'm going for either The Dream of Gerontius (which would be the only item on the programme; no interval) or A Child of Our Time (second half of its programme).

Nowhere near!

[Pulcinella]

Nowhere near!

Indeed!

[Historian]

The centenary of the Battle of the Somme just falls outside the Proms season but I'd like to see some commemoration somewhere in the season. The question is: what?

The centenary of the First Day of the Somme (1st July 1916) certainly, but the battle continued until 18th November (also outside the Prom season) so chronologically that would be all right. As for what, it would be good to hear one of the less well-known pieces already mentioned as well as something relevant from Germany (and France which was also involved in the battle, as well as the struggle at Verdun). I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I know nothing of any German musical commemorations of the Firs World War.

[Pulcinella]

Well, a battle features in the choral work, but it is not the Somme.

[Petrushka]

Well, a battle features in the choral work, but it is not the Somme.

Alexander Nevsky?

[Pulcinella]

Alexander Nevsky?

[maestro267]

IMHO:

* Gerontius: very unlikely
* A Child of Our Time: maybe, but probably also unlikely, due to sheer length
* Gurrelieder: no, if there indeed will be a BBC SSO Prom later in the season, as speculated elsewhere

I know we've established it'll be none of these, but A Child of Our Time is by far the shortest of these three works (70 mins vs 95 & 120 mins), so "sheer length" is nowhere near a problem.

[Anastasius]

Britten War Requiem ?