Prom 75: Last Night of the Proms – 8.09.18

[gurnemanz]

Thanks for that, PhilipT. A sad decision to show the parks rather than that.

I agree. I turned on Radio 3 sound when they switched to the parks which was of course strangely out of sync with the TV picture.

[MrGongGong]

http://slippedisc.com/2018/09/we-wer...oms-saboteurs/

For musicians (though maybe not for those "music lovers" who like to simply sit listening to CDs) it's a huge issue which affects not only individual careers but the very ensembles that play at the Proms. Though (predictably ) the usual ignorant nonsense appears in the comments.

[teamsaint]

For musicians (though maybe not for those "music lovers" who like to simply sit listening to CDs) it's a huge issue which affects not only individual careers but the very ensembles that play at the Proms. Though (predictably ) the usual ignorant nonsense appears in the comments.

Its a huge issue for eveybody, including audiences, and those who buy the CDs, both in their support of music, and in their own working and economic lives.

Working on assumptions of the worst possible outcomes isn’t helpful IMO, though the ability of governments ( of all colours)to mess things up is apparently endless.

Most BTL comment is nonsense in any case.

[DracoM]

'The Last Night of the Proms' has totally outlived its purpose.
I just find it deeply embarrassing.

[Constantbee]

http://slippedisc.com/2018/09/we-wer...oms-saboteurs/

Thanks for the link. Shedloads of issues I hadn't thought of before regarding red tape and hidden administration costs for musicians post Brexit. Happy to share the post Couple of musicians I speak to are already thinking of working further afield than mainland Europe, South Africa, Middle East.

[PhilipT]

'The Last Night of the Proms' has totally outlived its purpose.
I just find it deeply embarrassing.

What do you think its purpose is? I think it's an end-of-term let-your-hair-down(*) party. We've had eight weeks of (mostly) serious music, and it's time to release some tension, in the company of the friends we've queued and listened with.

(*) Metaphorically, that is. Anyone who caught sight of me on the TV broadcast will know that I have very little hair left to let down.

[cloughie]

'The Last Night of the Proms' has totally outlived its purpose.
I just find it deeply embarrassing.

No, I disagree, but like a lot of R3 output needs to go back about twenty years and drop its gimmicks. In this case remove the Proms in the Park and Scotland, Wales and N Ireland outside bits.

[Prommer]

But for those of us who were not in the hall, and were watching on TV, it would be interesting to know the answer to Prommer's question.

Thank you, David-G. Some here are a bit slow to appreciate what one is asking!

[Prommer]

Er, we heard what was performed in the Hall. And sang along, as the programme directed us, to the choruses of the last three numbers. What would you have had us do?

Your question seems to belie your psuudonym.

Pseudonym!

Wasn't there in the Hall on Saturday, obvs, or I would not need to ask the question.

So I wanted to know what was heard by those who were - as opposed to what was shown on TV.

I hope that is clear enough now.

[Darkbloom]

What do you think its purpose is? I think it's an end-of-term let-your-hair-down(*) party. We've had eight weeks of (mostly) serious music, and it's time to release some tension, in the company of the friends we've queued and listened with.

(*) Metaphorically, that is. Anyone who caught sight of me on the TV broadcast will know that I have very little hair left to let down.

And people always have the option to not watch/listen. The Last Night has never interested me, but lots of people enjoy it and it's been good to read that it ended on a positive note rather than all the grumbling that we usually get at the end of the season.

[Old Grumpy]

No, I disagree, but like a lot of R3 output needs to go back about twenty years and drop its gimmicks. In this case remove the Proms in the Park and Scotland, Wales and N Ireland outside bits.

. Just a distraction on the TV. I have no objection to the events themselves, just keep them off the TV.

OG

[ardcarp]

'The Last Night of the Proms' has totally outlived its purpose.
I just find it deeply embarrassing.

Yet lots of people love it, ballot for tickets, attend peripheral events in 'The Parks'...oh, and it's shown on [gasp] BBC1.
I have to admit that Blest Pair of Sirens hit my emoti-button, as I first sang it as a chorister aged 11. I often wonder if I heard it for the first time now what I would think of the piece; but associations are strong.

[Serial_Apologist]

Yet lots of people love it, ballot for tickets, attend peripheral events in 'The Parks'...oh, and it's shown on [gasp] BBC1.
I have to admit that Blest Pair of Sirens hit my emoti-button, as I first sang it as a chorister aged 11. I often wonder if I heard it for the first time now what I would think of the piece; but associations are strong.

Very good subject for the thread discussion I'm not about to start. I am however in agreement with DracoM that LNOTP is (and has always been, imo) a total embarrassment; but never more so that today, when so many seem so willing to take Land of Soap & Water to the ultimate death wish synonym of patriotic commitment.

[oddoneout]

. Just a distraction on the TV. I have no objection to the events themselves, just keep them off the TV.OG

I disagree. The Proms in the Park make good TV, but I think the problem comes with trying to stick bits of them together with the LN proper. I would like to go back to having the whole of the RAH LN on TV(ideally all on BBC2 instead of splitting at halftime) and putting out the PitP versions (on BBC1 if LN is on 2) in the appropriate country. I realise that runs against the current mindset of those in charge but if friends at choir are anything to go by there is an element of crossover audience which would like to watch both but not as a cut and paste single offering.
I was unable to stay awake much beyond Scaramouche but did think this year's LN was a better offering and performance than of recent years, the Stanford and Parry being especially memorable for me. All credit to BBCS for Bluebird(I'm not totally anti you know, just wish the top line would calm down and demonstrate this standard more often)

[gurnemanz]

Very good subject for the thread discussion I'm not about to start. I am however in agreement with DracoM that LNOTP is (and has always been, imo) a total embarrassment; but never more so that today, when so many seem so willing to take Land of Soap & Water to the ultimate death wish synonym of patriotic commitment.

It's harmless stuff and I do usually watch. The mute button is available during hackneyed bits which one might find embarassing. Every now and then you get a gem such as Netrebko doing "Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiß". The first half was OK - I like Gerald Finley's voice. I have the Sea Songs on CD and it was good to see him do them in concert. We last saw him in the theatre as Amfortas at ROH. I keep meaning to get his Winterreise which I think would be up my street.