The Proms!

Yes, up to a point. It depends what they’re doing, and who’s doing it. This year’s programme looks a bit dull to me.

I’ve been in a few, as a singer. The Albert Hall is the most uncomfortable place for performers, especially if it’s hot, which it usually seems to be. The acoustic is awful, but it’s nice having such a good view of the audience. There’s always a sense of occasion.

Do you go to the concerts, Luckygirl, listen on the radio or watch the ones on TV, or all three? I haven’t actually been to a prom for years, but I sometimes enjoy them on television. I haven’t had the chance so far this year.

I've bookmarked the TV schedule. Lots to look forward to.

I watched the first night concert as I like Vaughan Williams’ Towards an Unknown Region, and a couple of bits of the Planets - Mercury and Uranus - but was totally unprepared for the last piece, Five Telegrams. I try and open my mind to new music and don’t care for every piece I hear, but I did like this one - especially the bit involving the National Youth Choir.

For years I've been promising myself to go to the Proms at the Albert Hall. This year I remembered in time and have booked 5 shows. Very excited! Unfortunately, I didn't win a ballot seat for the last night.

Did anyone watch the 40th anniversary Young Musician of the Year concert? It was very good. I was particularly pleased to see Freddie Kempf there. I watched his mesmerising winning performance when he was only a young teenager, and have followed his career since. YMY is such a brilliant launch pad.

I do love the Proms but I have to say it sometimes gets a bit esoteric for me. DH says there is lots of Bernstein this year which is good.

We’ve wanted to go to the Proms for years and were at the first night on Friday. We were up in the Rausing. Circle and had a great view of the hall itself and of the stage for just £24 each. Fabulous.

What a wonderful Prom last night. On Wings of Song is still in my head. Happy memories of school music lessons and Mum playing the piano on Sunday evenings.

Thanks to iPlayer I'll be able to watch it all over again.

I went once when I was living in London, in my 20s. Wonderful atmosphere.
But I agree with Teetime - most of the music they play doesn't appeal to me now. I do like Bernstein though. I wonder if they'll play West Side Story?

My idea of hell.

They're doing West Side Story on 11th August, Fennel but unfortunately it's not being televised.

On the Town is though and that's on Saturday, 25th August.

I am feeling very sorry for performers in the heat this year, especially choirs who have to stand most of the time - and heaven knows how conductors cope! I wonder how the prommers in the arena are coping? It can’t be good being a violinist either, playing for ages with sweaty hands.

They don’t seem to be televising any of the concerts I’d really like.to see, like Mahler’s 8th Symphony or the Britten War Requiem.

There is a concert of Vaughan Williams, Holst and Parry on Friday. They are trotting out The Lark Ascending again, which okay, everyone loves, but is overplayed I think. I would have liked to have heard VW’s Norfolk Rhapsody No 1, which is not often played and deserves to be more widely heard.

I may give that one a try, Greyduster, though I agree about the Lark, which always seems to me to go on ascending for far too long. It will draw in an audience, though.

I do agree that too few of the Proms are broadcast.

I enjoyed Jacob Collier. It was so different and refreshing. I just happened to turn on the TV at the appropriate moment and thought him wonderful.