The last view from the Q: Prom 76

Cheers, Peter!



:)

We enjoy the Proms - but - Gershwin is not opera - and should not be sung as such. Oh and our 13 year old thinks the 14 year olds fanfares are boring - she's right!

The Last Night... a great event as ever. But WHY oh WHY do we lose our favourite, informed, R3 presenters for these jokers (Anderson/Bremner), who can add nothing to the music, or the the event??? PLEASE STOP DUMBING DOWN the Last Night (or at least give Mr Anderson a decent script writer).

Just don't enjoy the last night of the proms so much now without the 'sea shanties' The saying 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' should apply. Please bring them back!

^^^^^^^^



Too right!



I'm 34, and have usually made a point of listening to the Last Night since 1993! Henry Wood's Fantasia on Sea Shanties is an ESSENTIAL part of the Last Night programme, and it's removal from the programme has had a devastating effect on the atmosphere and occasion.



Without the fun and hijynx, the Last Night is in danger of becoming "Just another concert".



Bring it back. Slap whoever removed it, and then slap them about some more coz it's fun and they deserve it.



Bring Back the Last Night Of The Proms!



Martin.

If I may defend Sarah Connolly for a moment, jgustaf, Sarah covered a huge range of the classical repertoire last night (Purcell, Mahler, Gershwin and Arne), and I was impressed by everything she did. Jazz purists might not have liked her operatic style for the Gershwin, but I was amazed how she moved, seemingly effortlessly, into such a role. In terms of versatility, I have never seen such a transformational performance. This perception of 'DUMBING DOWN' is at the heart of the Radio 3 controversy, havergalb, and is worth discussing a little further.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Radio_3



Since its conception, the Proms has always had a populist ethos, and the Last Night provides an opportunity to reach out beyond the world of classical music. Clive Anderson and Rory Bremner were asked to take part, presumably, because they are jokers, and I think that they both did a marvellous job on television.



Also, I am not sure that it is dumbing down at all. It was, in my opinion, extremely intelligent broadcasting, although it is possible, havergalb, that you missed something of the subtlety of the evening. As for loftylass, I was much taken with Thomas Arne's original 'Rule Britannia', a compensation for the loss of the 'sea shanties'. David Robertson spoke extremely well, and I felt that the BBC pulled off a tremendous evening. Congratulations to all!

We totally agree with loftylass and mjmilan and no doubt untold thousands of others. The Last Night of the Proms is supposed to be a traditional evening - at least the second half is, and that means including Henry Wood's Fantasia on British Sea Songs. The evening is just not the same without these and the accompanying hoots, whistles and bangs! If we are allowed to have music with vacuum cleaners, floor polishers and rifles, surely we can include the musically very interesting, but also hugely enjoyable Sea Shanties. Just hope they don't get rid of Jerusalem, Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory next!

It's about time the BBC kept it's Encore section of the Proms webpage up to date. It is usually the only place (unless you've been listening on Radio 3) what these encores are and it would be nice to know what they are soon after the concert.

Hi All

For those who enjoyed The Proms on TV or at any Proms in the Park except Hillsborough Castle you don't know how lucky you were.

At Hillsborough we had only 4 items from the Royal Albert Hall!!!!!!!

Fanfare, Music for the Royal Fireworks, Rule Britannia and Jerusalem.

Another example of removing anything BRITISH from the people of Northern Ireland.

GO BACK BBC AND LET US ALL HAVE ALL THE OLD FAVORITES