The Proms

You're in for a treat - it was fabulous. I really enjoyed the interval piece about Sondheim too. He seems like a really interesting, nice bloke.
 
I was listening on the radio! The Alpine Symphony is bliss but has been played rather a lot recently at the Proms. Good to hear something else of his.
Just started on BBC2, Mahler's symphony's four and five with the Orchestra of Peace. There was a great interval piece about their history on Thursday and the musicians who willingly play for nothing at Gergiev's (and George Solti before him) behest.
 
I thought that the John Wilson orchestra was the Prom of the year, both last year and this.

I have a great love and knowledge of concert music in the "classical" tradition from Bach and Handel, Haydn and Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms, Stravinsky and Bartok, etc.

But these concerts by John Wilson were, as they say, something else.

:)
 
It's watered down nonsense now.

Its no longer a celebration of classical music, it's now ratings chasing and a frightful mixture of music that could feature on TOTP, the old grey whisle test, Jules Holland's show and a Saturday night BBC 1 variety show.

It's totally lost the plot.

What an embarassment.
 
I don't think rabroad is noted for attracting those with more esoteric and highly intellectual pursuits and therefore that is why we don't get many threaRAB and replies on subjects such as the Proms etc.
 
It's not lighter music! It's not Gilbert & Sullivan or musicals, or even Stephen Sondheim, it's bloody crooning. I've just put it on now to see what it was like and I think it's absolutely disgusting that an evening of a classical music festival has been taken up with this trash. It's an absolute bloody row too.
 
Ha! Esoteric and intellectual are not usually worRAB associated with me!

I've got the Rachmaninov on in the background, and have been enjoying it a lot, but it's just completely confused me, because it appears to have the melody of 'All By Myself'! Am I imagining things?
 
lol actually the RAH acoustics are still pretty bad when you're in there in person despite the giant mushrooms on the ceiling, especially at the upper levels - the BBC just do a fabulous job of capturing the sound from whole rafts of microphones that are suspended on wires right above and in front of the orchestra. Places like the Royal Festival Hall sound quite a bit better in more seats I find.

Absolutely cannot beat the grandeur and occasion of sitting in the RAH though.
 
Is that so? :eek: I would've thought that a building like the RAH would've been built with acoustics in mind. However, I suppose the building is quite old.

I wish the director would show some more wide shots of the hall to really capture the grandeur of it.
 
Land of Hope & Glory... followed by that dreadful dirge of God Save The Queen

it's quite obvious which one should be the national anthem!
 
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