Concerts so far: Unmissable v missable

[underthecountertenor]

I have been very lax in my Proms listening so far this season, with the result that I am bound to lose my battle to play catch-up before concerts start dropping off the iPlayer. I've listened to everything I wanted to from the first full week (to Prom 10).

I'd like to know is which concerts (or parts of concerts) you think I should definitely not miss, and, at the other end of the scale, which concerts (or parts of concerts) I can safely ditch. I suppose I'd like to know which bits of unfamiliar rep are worth hearing, and also which performances of core rep are, on the one hand, unmissable or, on the other, ho-hum humdrum. I should say that I plan to listen to all the Cadogan Hall concerts in any event.

I would really appreciate some advice from all you wonderful people of taste and discernment here (conscious as I am that there is bound to be some disagreement - I've just looked at the West Side Story page for example....).

And yes, I realise that this is a big ask, but I had been hoping that it would be obvious which concerts I could safely miss, but the reaction to nearly all the concerts so far (or the standard orchestral ones at least) has been so positive that I am feeling nonplussed.

[Nick Armstrong]

I have been very lax in my Proms listening so far this season, with the result that I am bound to lose my battle to play catch-up before concerts start dropping off the iPlayer. I've listened to everything I wanted to from the first full week (to Prom 10).

I'd like to know is which concerts (or parts of concerts) you think I should definitely not miss, and, at the other end of the scale, which concerts (or parts of concerts) I can safely ditch. I suppose I'd like to know which bits of unfamiliar rep are worth hearing, and also which performances of core rep are, on the one hand, unmissable or, on the other, ho-hum humdrum. I should say that I plan to listen to all the Cadogan Hall concerts in any event.

I would really appreciate some advice from all you wonderful people of taste and discernment here (conscious as I am that there is bound to be some disagreement - I've just looked at the West Side Story page for example....).

Unmissable: Manze and the BBCSSO in the RVW London Symphony (and the Haydn opener for that matter) - Prom 22

[LMcD]

Unmissable: Nos. 17, 22 and 31 (plus No. 42, which I'm going to watch on Friday). Missable, apparently, are Nos. 3, 7, 23 and 38/39 (none of which I've heard or seen, so I'm relying on the views of music critics and other Forumistas).

[underthecountertenor]

Unmissable: Manze and the BBCSSO in the RVW London Symphony (and the Haydn opener for that matter) - Prom 22

Thanks, Cali. That one was definitely on my radar as one not to be missed at any cost.

[underthecountertenor]

Unmissable: Nos. 17, 22 and 31 (plus No. 42, which I'm going to watch on Friday). Missable, apparently, are Nos. 3, 7, 23 and 38/39 (none of which I've heard or seen, so I'm relying on the views of music critics and other Forumistas).

Thanks LMcD. I find it somehow terrifying that we have already reached and passed Prom 42!

[jayne lee wilson]

Very pleased and impressed with both orchestral and webcast sound balance standards this year (despite the loss of lossless), among these I have loved....

Messiaen Turangalila (6)
Beethoven 9 (9)
Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances (12)***
Brahms 2 (15)
VW 3 (17)
VW 2 (22)
Tchaikovsky Nutcracker (25)***
"The Brandenburg Project" (29)***
Ives 2 (31)***
DSCH 9/ PC2 Aurora (32)***
Brahms Requiem (33)
Webern/Mahler 10 excerpt (36)***

Three stars for those I felt were absolutely unmissable, truly beyond praise!

[doversoul1]

If you want a couple of light reliefs (I don’t really mean it):

Mon 23 Jul 2018 Proms at … Cadogan Hall 2
Jean‐Philippe Rameau
Eve Risser (BBC commission: world premiere)
François Couperin
Jean Rondeau (harpsichord)

Thu 2 Aug 2018 Prom 26: Late Night Prom
Serpent and Fire
Anna Prohaska (soprano ) Giovanni Antonini and Il Giardino Armonico.

[underthecountertenor]

Very pleased and impressed with both orchestral and webcast sound balance standards this year (despite the loss of lossless), among these I have loved....

Messiaen Turangalila (6)
Beethoven 9 (9)
Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances (12)***
Brahms 2 (15)
VW 3 (17)
VW 2 (22)
Tchaikovsky Nutcracker (25)***
"The Brandenburg Project" (29)***
Ives 2 (31)***
DSCH 9/ PC2 Aurora (32)***
Brahms Requiem (33)
Webern/Mahler 10 excerpt (36)***

Three stars for those I felt were absolutely unmissable, truly beyond praise!

Ah, thank you SO much. I will give these top priority. Of them, I've only heard the Turangalila and the first two movements of Beethoven 9 (in binaural) so far.

[underthecountertenor]

If you want a couple of light reliefs (I don’t really mean it):

Mon 23 Jul 2018 Proms at … Cadogan Hall 2
Jean‐Philippe Rameau
Eve Risser (BBC commission: world premiere)
François Couperin
Jean Rondeau (harpsichord)

Thu 2 Aug 2018 Prom 26: Late Night Prom
Serpent and Fire
Anna Prohaska (soprano ) Giovanni Antonini and Il Giardino Armonico.

Thanks! As it happens, I listened to the Jean Rondeau late last night, and loved it. Caught much, but not all, of the Prohaska live as broadcast in the car on the way back from seeing Blithe Spirit in a garden in Kent. Il Giardino Armonico sounded gorgeous even in the car, and I clearly need to listen to it all properly.

[underthecountertenor]

Thanks to all for the invaluable recommendations already. Any interest in keeping this as a rolling thread for members to post their personal highlights as the season progresses? It could be a useful resource for the future when concerts are repeated (over Christmas or on TTN).

[BBMmk2]

I’ve enjoyed quite a few so far.
Nos.1,2,3,4,6,8, The Roundhouse Prom, 9, 11, CH2, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 24, 25, 26 - Late Night, 28, 29 & 30, CH 4, 33,34, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42 and this evening’s Prom looks good too.

[DracoM]

[a] "The Brandenburg Project" - deffo yes. Enriched both Bach [possible??!] and showed the excitements of the Swedish Chamber Orch's appeal.

[b] Webern - deffo yes.

[c] Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances - deffo yes.

[underthecountertenor]

I’ve enjoyed quite a few so far.
Nos.1,2,3,4,6,8, The Roundhouse Prom, 9, 11, CH2, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 24, 25, 26 - Late Night, 28, 29 & 30, CH 4, 33,34, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42 and this evening’s Prom looks good too.

Thanks for confirming my suspicion that this season (which looked a bit humdrum on paper, to me at least) has been very strong so far. Sadly I fear that I simply won’t have time to savour everything on your list, but I'll do my best!

[underthecountertenor]

[a] "The Brandenburg Project" - deffo yes. Enriched both Bach [possible??!] and showed the excitements of the Swedish Chamber Orch's appeal.

[b] Webern - deffo yes.

[c] Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances - deffo yes.

Yes, ‘The Brandenburg Project’ is a definite must-hear. Dausgaard and Esfahani is an irresistible combination.
Thanks,DracoM.

[jonfan]

I’ve enjoyed quite a few so far.
Nos.1,2,3,4,6,8, The Roundhouse Prom, 9, 11, CH2, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 24, 25, 26 - Late Night, 28, 29 & 30, CH 4, 33,34, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42 and this evening’s Prom looks good too.

I'd go along with all of this list to save typing everything again. I too on first looking at the prospectus thought 'nothing to hear here', but on burrowing down there's very effective programming which entices the listener to savour the familiar with something new. Not a new idea granted but used to great effect this year. The old premise that provincial orchestras are second best has been well and truly laid to rest. All the BBC orchestras are superb this year and rise to spectacular heights, especially with inspired direction. I make permanent copies of concerts that stand out and this year I've made more than ever before, so far 9,12,14,15,17,22,24,28,42.
Two other factors: a live concert is special knowing you're sharing the performance with others no matter how annoying the clapping between movements and coughing; the superb sound this year from the engineers with not one poor production from those I've heard.