Prom 74 (12.09.20) Last Night of the Proms

[Cockney Sparrow]

The BBC is under threat from the Tories and their media funders/accomplices. They have to steer a course. The difficulties with singing justify their choice this year.

I'm not fussed about the traditional vocal settings. Its show business, and its from a former time - just like a lot of other music. If I sang the words, it doesn't make me a colonialist.

But the present move for pressure groups to demand the dismissal of whatever they say is objectionable may prevail once the BBC has its next period of funding settled.

[DracoM]

Is the BBC bigger, more trusted, more respected, more listened to than ANY politician?
And is that why the BBC is so scared of them?
That such scurrilous bottom-dredgers are always sniffily even professionally pompous and jealous and thus capable of pulling the plug on their resources?

[Ein Heldenleben]

I like Rule Britannia as a tune - a taste I share with Beethoven who wrote a nicely playable set of variations on it. It’s very unusual for a tune to start with a perfect cadence I think. The only other example I can think of is the Beatles song I Will.No doubt there are others.
Pomp and Circ 1 has one of the world’s great tunes in it but the words always seem to me to be out of keeping with the emotion of the tune. I know Elgar didn’t care for them. By deciding to play the tunes only the Beeb has managed to attract criticism from the traditionalists while satisfying only those who share my aesthetic tastes - not sure how big a constituency that is....
(Addendum - It’s the chorus of RB that starts with a perfect cadence of course in the sub-dominant G major of the tonic D - mind you that strikes me as even more unusual )

[LMcD]

IMO, if they NEVER again have Rool Brit it'll be too soon.
For me, that Last Night tired ritual is an instant switch-off.

[cloughie]

I just hope they’ve cancelled the dreadful ‘Proms in the Park’.

[Bryn]

I just hope they’ve cancelled the dreadful ‘Proms in the Park’.

While I would not care to attend such, or indeed watch or listen, I have no objection to others being able to. Just not my bag.

[LHC]

I just hope they’ve cancelled the dreadful ‘Proms in the Park’.

Yes, and hopefully not brought back in future years.

I see that the official Programme includes a “Sequence of sea songs from around the UK” as part of Henry Wood’s Fantasia. Hopefully this just refers to the music to be played, and not the venues.

[oddoneout]

I just hope they’ve cancelled the dreadful ‘Proms in the Park’.

Circumstances may have achieved that. However, like Bryn, while it isn't something of interest to me, I think there is mileage(as I think I've suggested before) in continuing it in some form that doesn't impinge on the RAH event. The relays did add to the level of clunkiness and general length of the actual LNOP concert, which in any case is overdue for a rethink. The Park events are very popular and I think to be welcomed and supported since they provide a different live music offering and to an audience which otherwise might not access it - but not at the expense of the 'proper' Last Night.

[cloughie]

While I would not care to attend such, or indeed watch or listen, I have no objection to others being able to. Just not my bag.

My main objection is the way it interrupts the televised RAH performance - also it’s usually not very good!

[Bryn]

My main objection is the way it interrupts the televised RAH performance - also it’s usually not very good!

Does it not normally get covered during the RAH interval? A good time to mute the television and make a refreshing cup of cheer. I have to admit that I will not be that sorry to miss out on Britannia Waves the Rules. Stormin' Norman was on the BBC 1 News asserting that the word "slaves" was only in the lyric because it rhymed with "waves" and had no connection whatever with the fact that Britain was a major slave-trading nation during Arne's lifetime. Clutching at straws, or what? That said, its rendition during the Last Night of the Proms has long been treated with irony.

[Richard Barrett]

Stormin' Norman was on the BBC 1 News asserting that the word "slaves" was only in the lyric because it rhymed with "waves"

I wonder if he would be so indulgent towards clearly racist lyrics if there were anything in them that could be construed as antisemitic, no, thought not. Surely though, as has been said, this would be a good time to ditch tiresome rituals like this once and for all. People who claim it's really all just good clean fun are by definition part of the problem.

[CGR]

It's a great shame to see our proud traditions being destroyed for no real reasons. Just more political correctness.

[Quarky]

Whereas from snippets played mostly on news items the impression given of this great live working class entertainment is one of hundreds of Hooray Henry types enjoying a Tory party rally.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53902065

Some board members might be surprised about the strength of feeling against the BBC from the grass-roots of the Tory Party.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I wonder if he would be so indulgent towards clearly racist lyrics if there were anything in them that could be construed as antisemitic, no, thought not. Surely though, as has been said, this would be a good time to ditch tiresome rituals like this once and for all. People who claim it's really all just good clean fun are by definition part of the problem.

I don’t think the lyrics to Rule Britannia are racist . They are boastful , arrogant , and unfashionably patriotic but not racist. I also don’t think Norman Lebrecht would take a different attitude to racist or hateful statements made on the basis of colour to those made on the basis of any another race distinction. Do you have any evidence to the contrary?

[LMcD]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53902065

Some board members might be surprised about the strength of feeling against the BBC from the grass-roots of the Tory Party.

If you're looking for a perfect example of a 'non-story', this is surely it. Like other Forumistas, I have no objection to other people letting their hair down at the end of the season, it's just not for me. Perhaps the BBC should follow the example of certain sports teams and have a recording of a previous year's performance of the items in question - complete with rattles, party poppers, bursting balloons and out-of-time clapping. The bobbing up and down might prove trickier.