BBC Proms: A bit of a camel

First responses to the 2016 season are that it’s a Volkswagen designed by committee.

Under the headline ‘Few surprises but a solid programme’, Andrew Clements in the Guardian puts it succinctly:  Roger Wright stepped down as Radio 3 controller and director of the Proms at the beginning of the 2014 season, and with no carefully choreographed succession in place, his permanent replacement,David Pickard, who was previously general director at Glyndebourne, only took up his post last autumn. During the 15-month interregnum, the role was taken by Radio 3 editor Edward Blakeman, with the result that the recently announced 2016 season is effectively the combined work of three planners.

The other dailies are in strictly promo mode, offering a highlights guide and a gushy star interview.

The website has not been designed to enable an easy search of composers and works. While several artists make notable and (in some cases) much-belated debuts, the lineup looks a bit like Manchester United this season – either a work in progress or a side in decline, depending on one’s loyalty.

Slipped Disc will provide a more detailed appreciation next week with reference to some glaring omissions of notable anniversaries. At first glance, though, this is not a season that makes the heart beat faster.