Proms 2018

[Nick Armstrong]

South West Morecambe Ballroom Orchestra?

Eee they do a lovely Lloyd-Webber medley!

[EdgeleyRob]

Could you wait outside for her?

South West Morecambe Ballroom Orchestra?

Eee they do a lovely Lloyd-Webber medley!

[greenilex]

I still haven’t caught the Phantom.

Is this a record?

[Demetrius]

We are going to be in Landan for a couple of days during the season and my first ever visit to the Proms will be 31/7 for the Haydn,RVW London Symphonies,also booked tickets for the following evening (Strauss is not really my thing though).

Same here :) I will try promming this time, though.

[Serial_Apologist]

We are going to be in Landan

I'll 'ave you know not everybody in this manor talks like me!

[EdgeleyRob]

I'll 'ave you know not everybody in this manor talks like me!

[Barbirollians]

After Evita his work became grandiose and ghastly .

[Stanfordian]

Something refreshingly different but well worth watching out for is:

Georg Friedrich Haas: Concerto Grosso Nr.1 for 4 Alphorns and large orchestra played by Hornroh Modern Alphorn Quartet. In 2014 at Philharmonie, Berlin I was at the second only performance of the work.

Monday 30.07.18 - Also on the programme is Mozart Notturno, K286 & R. Strauss An Alpine Symphony. BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra / Ilan Volkov.

[Barbirollians]

I was amazed to read in the Gramophone review this month of Michael Collins' recordings of the three Crusell Clarinet Concertos ( the Recording of the Month) that not a note of his music has ever been played at the Proms not even it seems his Second Concerto . Considering what is regurgitated year after year like the blasted Lark - that is a surprise . Indeed, the Second Concerto would be ideal Last Night first half fare - of course the last night first half is now like Essential Classics so that will not happen.

[french frank]

I was amazed to read in the Gramophone review this month of Michael Collins' recordings of the three Crusell Clarinet Concertos ( the Recording of the Month) that not a note of his music has ever been played at the Proms not even it seems his Second Concerto . Considering what is regurgitated year after year like the blasted Lark - that is a surprise . Indeed, the Second Concerto would be ideal Last Night first half fare - of course the last night first half is now like Essential Classics so that will not happen.

Might be an idea for the forum to compile a list of 'amazing omissions', with a panel to decide on, say, twenty works/composers to be sent as suggestions to the Director?

[Brixton Dave]

There was an article in the (London) Evening Standard yesterday suggesting big changes might be afoot at the Proms. The production has been put out to tender apparently - by Richard Dawkins head of Content (not the famous Richard Dawkins of the God Delusion).

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/last-rites-at-the-proms-fans-fear-after-production-change-a3853116.html

there is some background on Richard Dawkins here, for those into snooping on people's salaries etc http://www.bbc.co.uk/corporate2/insi...awkins_richard

[french frank]

There was an article in the (London) Evening Standard yesterday suggesting big changes might be afoot at the Proms. The production has been put out to tender apparently - by Richard Dawkins head of Content (not the famous Richard Dawkins of the God Delusion).

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/last-rites-at-the-proms-fans-fear-after-production-change-a3853116.html

there is some background on Richard Dawkins here, for those into snooping on people's salaries etc http://www.bbc.co.uk/corporate2/insi...awkins_richard

Very interesting. But I wonder what it means in practice? What does 'run the service' mean if the 'management' remains the same?

BBC press release. That seems to suggest it's the TV coverage.

[Brixton Dave]

You mean it could be produced by Hat Trick (Have I got News for You) sort of thing?

Actually the Outside Broadcast facilites have been privatised for about 10 years. SIS - Same company as William Hill Racing I believe. If you ask me all this digitised technology corresponds with the mega compression nowadays on Radio 3. If you want realistic sound dynamics on something like Wagner or Bruckner you need to manually put them in with your volume level nowadays.

In terms of the Proms - I don't listen much on the radio, but I do attend, and the organisation has become worse over the 20 years I've been going. Partly it's security etc - not the fault of the BBC or RAH, but as an example 20 years ago if you had a season ticket and arrived after the 10 minute cut-off you'd be directed to go to the balcony.
Now they have a 30 minute cut-off time, and if you don't make it they put you at the end of the "Day Queue" which could be OK, but it could also mean you don't get in.
All very well for people who don't have a job, but a real pain if you are working outside of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and its an early Prom.

[teamsaint]

No, afraid not - having specifically tried to establish this in the past. It is usually some considerable while after the initial booking day (like 1-2 weeks), and appears to be a case of someone caving into the urge to press the relevant button seemingly at random.

The lack of SelectYourOwnSeat at this stage drives me around the bend.

As an aside, anecdotally ticket sales appear well down so far - still bucket loads available for all Berlin PO and Boston SO concerts and other big names. Only the First Night, Mahler 8 and the John Wilson Orch appear sold out, all of these rather predictably.

The crucial bit in Prom 17 is the fateful words "Lark, The, Ascending" IMO. One of a select band of works which seem to have a remarkable (for which read ridiculous) ability to pull in punters regardless of its brevity and minor part in the totality of a programme.

At least the IT no longer collapses in an ugly heap following the move to cloud servers and no Dr Who Proms to generate a billion ticket seekers...

Just to follow up on this, in case anybody didn't know, that the" choose seats " facility is now available.
And there are also some ( a few) tix available for the Parry /RVW Prom 41 .

[Suffolkcoastal]

Has anyone received their tickets yet? Or they always slow in sending them out? Just seem to be taking longer than the last time I purchased some a few years ago.