nuts4chic - the online women's lifestyle magazine

nuts4chic - culture

Lifestyle

Fashion

Proms 2006

by Jim Flanagan

It’s summer in London and the Proms are on again. The mass migration of concert goers to the Royal Albert Hall has become such a large part of landscape that inhabitants of the big bad city now seem to lookstraight through them.

But what does it all mean? The largest fine music festival in the world? Really…? And if there are always new (often demanding) works premiered why is it that proceedings inevitably disintegrate into an embarrassing orgy of jingoistic flag waving and mundane programming on the final night?

Over the next few weeks our proms analysis is going to centre around
our attempts to answer one question. In 2006, are the Proms a mindlessly conservative cultural museum or an important and relevant part of today’s musical landscape? Of course, it’s nigh on impossible to attend every concert. I know, I know it’s considered a badge of honor to attend every performance (to become a real ‘Prommer’ as they’re known) but let’s get serious. These people, regardless of the depths of their love for fine music ought to be locked up and forced to watch ‘Rio Ferdinand’s World Cup Windups’ over and over again. That much paranoid Russian 20th century composition just isn’t good for you, and to eat more than two of those Proms prawn sandwiches a day would be unwise indeed.

Instead, I’ve put together a carefully chosen selection of Proms our review committee (err………that’s me) will review and discuss in detail. I’ve made an attempt to feature programming that combines elements of this year’s themes and featured composers (Shostakvich and ‘the voice’) as well as hopefully striking a balance between the regular big hitters of the fine music canon and the more contemprary works on offer.

So sit back, grab a Pims and a cucumber sandwich and enjoy.

Click here to read Prom 20 - Review

Click here to read Prom 37 - Review

Click here to read Prom 38 - Review