Did the BBC have to cancel Last Night of the Proms?
NewsAn hour after the announcement of the Queen’s death, the BBC asked the Philadelphia Orchestra to give a muted account of the national anthem and Elgar’s Nimrod to a massed Royal Albert Hall, before sending the audience home.
Late last night, the BBC announced that the last two Proms – tonight, and the Last Night – have been called off.
That was perfectly in order during ten days of national mourning when many other events are being put on hold.
However, this is the biggest musical night of the year on the BBC.
Might it not have been possible to rehearse and perform something appropriate to the national mood?
Verdi’s Requiem, perhaps.
Or Britten’s.
Or Vaughan Williams’s wartime fifth symphony, which the Queen knew and loved.
It would have required ingenuity, imagination, energy and flexibility.
But might a quiet Prom not have been worthier than an empty hall and a blank screen?
Short answer: yes! Who cares about “the biggest musical night of the year” in this time? Nobody
Disagree. A lot of people would rather go and hear music than have to suffer this endless rolling news when there’s nothing to say.
They’d have to change the programme of the last night of course but it could have been powerful if done right, as in 1997 when Verdi’s Requiem at the Proms was dedicated to Diana.
Equally, who cares about the death of a monarch whom has played her part in making so-called Great Britain look like an embarrassing throw-back, politically, socially and especially economically? Which other country would have the temerity to use medals of ‘Empire’ (sic) as a reward of esteem or refer to it’s citizens as ‘subjects’?! The monarchy costs all British subjects/citizens a fortune but gives us no choice over whom plays the role (interestingly defined as ‘ service’ despite the effectively enormous salary) and presumes we all feel absolutely bereft at her death. I’m certainly far from being alone at feeling nauseated at this enforced display of ‘respect’ and ‘loss’ when it means nothing to me; many other people share my sense of outrage that our public institutions have no compunction about cancelling events whatever the consequences faced by performers and audiences. A pathetic display of snivelling sycophancy.
The Monarchy costs each taxpayer around £0.70p a year. Hardly a fortune
I think the days of mourning are also a time when your animosities with the BBC should rest.
“the BBC asked the Philadelphia Orchestra to give a muted account…”
Is that even true?
– Would be extraordinary that TV execs tell an orchestra how to play. (Music making is not dining, made to order: “I’d like my steak well done please.”)
– What? They thought an American orchestra led by a young Canadian couldn’t be trusted to be appropriate, that they’ll be loud and brash and flamboyant? (Not that, again, TV suits have any business deciding how a piece should be played to suit their own tastes.)
I doubt it’s true.
For detail, see Peter Dobrin’s account in the Philadelphia Inquirer. No UK newspaper reported it.
https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia-orchestra-queen-elizabeth-20220908.html
Nowhere in the article does it suggest that BBC officials “asked” the orchestra “to give a muted account”.
Actually, I just re-read Norman’s article, and it seems like he’s saying that they did cancel the concert, but since the audience were already there suggestions were made as to two short pieces that the audience might be able to play rather than just sending the audience home having heard no music at all.
Okay, NOW I’m annoyed that the BBC Broadcast of this concert was cancelled so that all BBC Radio channels could broadcast ongoing handwringing that the queen is dead, while the concert did actually go ahead, but that tonight’s concert has been cancelled. Not so bothered about not listening to the last night, but I was interested in these two concerts from the Philadelphia Orchestra.
You only missed about 8 minutes of music.
I only stayed because I was already there (and had wasted half attending this concert) but it was distinctly mawkish and underwhelming.
Cheers. I had misread the article originally – it’s kind of hard to imagine a “muted” performance of Beethoven 3 isn’t it? But now I understand that the request was a suggestion of two pieces the Philadelphia might be able to play that were appropriate to the moment.
I disagree
I was there too and thought it was exceptionally well done
Yes. Music is a healer, a unifier, a consoler. And the BBC should be there at such times, in all its guises. They should have reprogrammed with something appropriate. This shows a serious lack of thought and imagination and appreciation of where the BBC and its orchestras should be in our lives. If Davey has decided it should take a back seat then it should come as no surprise when the government takes away its feeding hand.
The Last Night of the Proms is more an event than a concert. It wouldn’t make sense to change the programme as suggested above because it would be inappropriate for the, already sold-out, RAH audience.
I have no love for the last night of the Proms but cancelling public events is just sycophantic nonsense.
Why not let people make their own choices as to whether they want to go instead of treating them like children?
Maybe because a lot of people don’t really care and would quite happily carry on with their plans.
We don’t want to see how things really are in this country and never have.
Sadly, in this day and age we can always count on some people to be rude, insensitive clods.
‘Why not let people make their own choices as to whether they want to go instead of treating them like children? Maybe because a lot of people don’t really care and would quite happily carry on with their plans.’
Heaven forbid people should be deprived of their fun. You can deprive the masses of everything, but not of their fun. You’d think the The Last Night of the Proms was the only entertainment available in London and in the internet, and now the worthy Londoners are asked to spend their evening reading a book at candlelight like their great-grandfathers. Though that candlelight might become a reality soon, heaven forbid. What are all the online addicts going to do in this case? I know! Wash their clothes and bedclothes by hand because your wash machine won’t work either.
Very odd.
I certainly wasn’t arguing that events should be cancelled, just wondering out loud why the BBC feels it has to tell us what to do and what we are allowed to go to.
We must accept that a significant proportion of the population could not care less about this royal hysteria and would much rather get on with their lives.
Very odd. You don’t get irony but this isn’t a crime.
There’s no royal hysteria. A head a state has died, one who has been in office for a very long time, and the traditional media is reporting. There will be national mourning as well, as it always is in such cases. Some events were cancelled. It’s not like these are the first events in history to be cancelled, nor will they be the last. I don’t see how all this could prevent people to get on with their lives. Does your live consist of the Proms and nothing but the Proms? I suppose the situation irritates only those who can’t come to terms with their own irrelevance. Like it or not, the Queen was a relevant individual, and institutions and private people alike are acknowledging this.
If the ‘hysteria’ in your comment refers to the tam-tam on social media, I agree with you. Attention-seekers are grabbing the opportunity with both hands, posting pictures of the Queen with or without dogs, horses, celebrities, and quotes, all but begging for clicks and likes. What’s new in this? Attention-seekers will remain attention-seekers. Their behavior says more about them than about the Queen. If you don’t like their act, don’t visit social media. I don’t see how their doing could prevent people to get on with their lives. Does your live consist of social media and nothing but social media?
I don’t use social media and the hysteria is on TV in the newspapers.
On that day, that concert was my focus and I wasted half my day getting there plus expenses. It may not matter to you but it matters to me, get over it.
That person is not a “relevent individual” for many, that’s the whole point, just a symptom of a class ridden and corrupt society.
Newsflash for Santipab, every platform living off clicks and comments is social media.
Don’t confuse yourself with ‘many’.
Long serving head of state died, there is national mourning and a few cancellations. The fact that said head of state isn’t a ‘relevent(sic) individual for many’ according to you, doesn’t enter the equation. Head of state died, period. Be happy you don’t live in Stalin’s Soviet Russia, currently being dusted off by wannabe P the Great. Even if the queen were the most hated head of state ever, which she certainly wasn’t, there would still have been national mourning and cancellations. One of the cancellations was a merrymaking event that was very pop-music like in spirit. The biggest noise in this comment section comes from a few entitled folks who whine that their fun has been cancelled, and from a few others who had booked a different fun than the one mentioned in the headline, but who feel entitled to join the chorus of complaints nevertheless. What cheek of the representative head of state to die when she died, without asking one anonymous Santipab for permission first, to make sure she won’t cross his fun plans. ROH also cancelled a performance of two, why don’t you protest those as well? Well, Santipab, here is a soothing thought for you: When you will die, nobody will cancel anything, and you can leave this world in good conscience that you won’t disturb anyone’s fun. Now hurry to do a bit of virtue-signaling, Santipab the model citizen who always puts his fellows’ interests above his own, in life as in death. If you find my comment a little too harsh, all I can say is your egotism deserved it. You wrote how many complains on this post? the title of which reads “Did the BBC have to cancel Last Night of the Proms?” The LAST night, an event you have _no_ love for.
You seem to have difficulty in accepting that people may have a different opinion from yours.
Why not have a little lie down away from your keyboard?
Good luck with your anger and verbosity issues.
Couldn’t agree more. The sheer presumption we ‘all’ (sic) feel devastated is contemptible authoritarianism.
Mr Lebrecht says the queen knew and loved Vaughan-Williams 5th symphony. I think a performance of that would have been both respectful and appropriate. It’s a wonderful work with a peaceful ending. That said, I can understand the BBC’s decision at a time when we should all exercise respect.
My (admittedly limited) understanding is that the Royal family has no real appreciation of classical music; the word ‘philistinism’ springs to mind. In any event, who really cares and what does it matter?
Are you trying to make up for your limited understanding with a large number of copypasted ‘comments’ and a few online identities? Your understanding may be limited but your time obviously isn’t. Is it raining in your part of the world or what? Your repetitive attention-seeking act is getting tiresome. Can’t you make at least a decent effort of providing us with a little entertainment value if you have chosen to be the soul of the online party?
Not sure about this, I heard a story about Prince Charles having a conversation with Helmut Lachenmann about his music after attending a concert. I mean, I guess there’s a lot of going to events where you don’t really care about the music out of diplomacy for the royals. But the impression I got from that anecdote was that Lachenmann might not be Prince Charles’ cup of tea, but he was able to engage the composer in a sensible conversation on what his music was about.
Charles may not be a modernist, but he’s not a philistine in my view. For real philistinism with a potential to damage the arts, you have to look towards government ministers of the ilk of Nadine Dorries.
The Vaughan Williams 5th Symphony is like a big, hugely empathic, heartfelt hug, a message of serenity from a hugely lovable man in troubled times. I can well imagine The Queen loving it.
There are arguments for and against.
However I feel the Proms has missed a glorious opportunity to pay a powerful tribute to our longest serving monarch with a suitably revised programme.
A Britten or Verdi requiem on one day’s notice? Give me a break, Norman. And the hall was not “packed” last night, I was there. Get your facts straight, please.
Last night of proms ran days after 9/11 in 2001. Just needed a sensitive program change
Five days after rather than two – or one clear day in this case. And the tweaks to the LNOP in 2001 were just that: tweaks. The Verdi with five days’ notice might have been viable, but the Britten, not a chance. These things don’t just happen by magic.
The BBC could have recast the LNOP programme with some of the more sensible suggestions here and made it broadcast-only. But no; play-safe sycophancy rules at today’s BBC and the knee-jerk reaction is to cancel. I hope their medical insurance covers strained forelocks, because that’s what all this tugging is going to result in.
Looking at the programme, it really was just going to be a programme full of celebratory and superficial fizzy bonbons played by a multitude of celebrity people (such as the over-promoted Sheku) and the evening would’ve turned into something all about them, rather than the mourning of the queen. And perhaps the artists would’ve been more offended if they replaced them all with Verdi’s Requiem.
My memory might be wrong, but I think the proms changed its programming after 9/11 to something solemn and appropriate, and was widely recognised to have got it right.
There are any number of pieces in the repertoire that would be wholly appropriate and which could have been rehearsed in time. It is a sad reflection on the BBC that nobody appears to have considered this.
That said, I think a Verdi requiem on short notice probably wouldn’t work.
Verdi Requiem is standard repertoire for London orchestras, amateur choirs and soloists.
This would have been perfect.
“Verdi Requiem is standard repertoire for London orchestras, amateur choirs and soloists.
This would have been perfect”
Agreed, although it might have been deemed a bit bombastic for the hair shirt brigade. Logistics shouldn’t have been too hard, though, given that most concerts were dropped, and any difficulties gathering amateur choir members could have been covered with pros, for whom the notes are not terribly difficult.
No, they didn’t have to cancel The Last Night, they wanted to cancel it. The Last Night of the Proms breaks all of the BBC’s dreams of the UK. I mean it shows people enjoying themselves somewhere other than Glastonbury, that can’t be allowed can it?
Her Majesty was 96, my personal opinion is, having reached this age her life should be celebrated, a young person dying you can mourn for the ‘might have been’. To have proceeded with TLN would also have given a chance to give a rousing rendition of God Save The KING very early in his reign (it is going to be difficult to learn the change of word).
Many commenting here don’t like the popularisation of TLN but others do, live and let live.
“The Last Night of the Proms breaks all of the BBC’s dreams of the UK.”
Would that be because they don’t actually allow unicorns into the RAH? The BBC, now the PR arm of the brexit-tory party, were probably wetting themselves at having to stop the waving of union jacks at the LNOP. Cancelling saves them that dilemma.
As for those who are going to be unable to change one word of a song, maybe it’s time to stop singing “Happy Birthday” as well.
I do notice that at the Last night of the Proms, there are also lots of EU flags, and I think someone gives out EU hats too. But it is a party atmosphere, and I can understand thinking that might feel inappropriate two days after the Queen died. And I don’t think the difficulty with singing God Save The King is about remembering or learning the words. I mean, surely THAT’S obvious, right?
It’s about the fact that it’s weird after 70 years to be saying “King Charles is at Buckingham Palace”, it takes a bit of getting used to.
It is a shame that this is the first LNOP after covid restrictions, hence all the big choral works in this season. But we’ll be used to singing “God Save the King” by this time next year, I’m sure.
The problem is that our public institutions all pay at least lip-service to a uniform need to ‘mourn’ and ‘pay respect’ to someone whose contribution to our identity and sense of well-being is, at best, disputed. Do you believe all her ‘subject peoples’ (sic) in the so-called ‘Commonwealth’ will share this sense of primordial loss?!
Dear Mel, you sound like exactly the sort of bore who can’t entertain the idea that any opinion other than their own is vastly more prevalent whilst having an inflated idea of their own importance.
There are many, many people who feel the need to grieve right now, so why not keep your own mouth shut out of manners instead of trying to shut millions of other’s.
Try sticking to the facts, dear Tony. We ‘subjects’ – presumably you’re quite happy to be regarded as such – have had to endure a continuous display of repetitive drivel about the enormous contribution she has made to ‘our’ lives … from past politicians and celebs whose ‘tribute’ has more to do with grasping an opportunity to seek attention, than any genuine regard. How can anyone feel ‘affection’ for somebody whose role and purpose is rigidly scripted and whose life experience and understanding is far, far removed from the hoi polloi? It’s obvious nonsense and has been manipulated and effectively politicised by the current government to further its own right-wing narratives. Obviously you share their view that this narrative is the only one which matters and everyone expressing a different opinion is a ‘bore’. If you believe the state is entitled, without consultation, to impose this on us all, it simply confirms my opinion about the sad, sad state of Britain. By the way, the Royal family has shown the most minimal interest in the arts.
The BBC shouldn’t have cancelled any of the concerts, not last night’s (about which the audience was given 30 minutes notice–I was one of them), nor tonight’s, nor the Last Night of the Proms. The nation might be in mourning, but we can also celebrate the longest reigning monarch who lived an extraordinary life and made so many proud to be British. The Proms should go on as a celebration of life–hers, ours, the country’s–not cancelled as if this were some sort of unexpected tragedy of a life cut off too short when it’s actually the opposite.
Quite right.
I would disagree with the view that a ‘figurehead’ can make you feel proud to be ‘British’. There are substantial numbers of people in GB – not forgetting many of our EU (former) partners – whom feel nothing but pity for this rapidly sinking country with its outdated notion of ‘greatness’. As a Scot (with one Irish parent) I am aware just how ‘civilised’ Britain was towards what they regarded as part of their empire, now Ireland! A current comparison of these 2 countries might indicate ‘pride’ in GB is mis-placed.
An utterly idiotic decision. Something as patriotic as the “Last Night” would have been entirely appropriate.
Considering the queen spent her life doing absolutely nothing for the working man, being one of the richest people in the world,-(but an excellent museum curator).
Remember the sex pistols???
Might we ask can we do without a mass media hyper-fest that is on 24/24 replay?
Face the facts, this mafia style family sent 100s of 1000s of people to fight “for king and country” in the trenches of WW1, and has one of the largest private estates in the UK?
Might we also ask now that greeny tree hugger is now on the throne, when we might finally get shot of this ridiculous non elected monarchy and change to a republic while also other getting rid of all the heriditary peers and the other parasites?
What can you expect of the suicidal results of interbreeding?
Next in line should be the BBC itself.
It sounds like you think the opinion of the monarch is somehow the decisive factor in whether we continue to have a monarchy or not. Peculiar.
If you want rid of the monarchy, it’s up to the people to get Parliament to get rid of it and replace it with something else. The opinion of the new king is neither here nor there.
Getting rid of the BBC would be a mistake in my view, what needs to happen is for the government to respect its independence and keep out of trying to manipulate it politically.
A large choral piece would have been too short notice to stage but an orchestra is eminently capable of a Symphonic tribute at such short notice.
Vaughan Williams 5th would have been an inspired choice in my opinion and could have drawn us together at such a time to express what words cannot.
… and just what are these sentiments …?
You seem to imagine that a touring symphony orchestra can turn on a dime and change its program easily. Yes, The Philadelphia Orchestra is an ensemble that can do anything you ask of them, but logistically, they’re travelling with a specific set of musicians and library of music that they’ve prepared for the tour. You’re asking them to get the parts for a requiem by Verdi or Britten, update the part markings with the conductor’s instructions, hire a local choir and put on a show. That’s a major expansion of the original contract. In all likelihood, British orchestras will be performing tribute concerts to the late Queen for the next year or longer.
I think Norman was referring to the Last Night, but even for the resident band and choir it would still have been highly impractical – insanely impractical in the case of the Britten.
I’m told that when a previous monarch passed away, choristers arrived for the concert to be told “The programme’s changed – we’re doing Messiah”.
The Last night of the Proms is played by the BBC SO. Not a touring orchestra.
The same orchestra, incidentally, that played the first night. The Verdi Requiem
Might help to read the title of a thread before wasting your time commenting with total irrelevance.
The Last Night of the Proms has nothing to do with the Philadelphia or any other touring orchestra.
Not the Verdi Requiem, but they could play any number of suitable pieces with no rehearsal, and get scores/parts from one of the multitude of London orchestras, who would no doubt have been happy to assist.
I think you underestimate the skill and resourcefulness of orchestral musicians, conductors and administrators. Sure, there’s ideal practice when it comes to concert preparation, but I can easily imagine the aligning of resources (especially in a city like London) to enable the supply of the score and suitable parts, and so on. In my experience and observation, top-flight ensembles and performers are adept at rising to the occasion on short notice. (And yes, I realise that the Philadelphia Orch was not to be involved in The Last Night, just responding to the general observation being expressed here.)
Surely it’s possible this decision has nothing to do with the BBC? It’s the ROYAL Albert Hall – they probably have a clause in their operating contract to close at a time such as this
You’re absolutely right of course, The hall cancelled the event and NOT the BBC.
If the BBC had decided to go ahead with the last night of the Proms, Norman Lebrecht would no doubt have slammed the BBC as being disrespectful. The BBC can do nothing right in his eyes.
damned if they do cancel (by NL) and if they don’t (it runs counter to the spirit of national mourning) – I know which one I would favour
What a tough spot for the BBC to be in. If they went ahead with the concerts they would have been blasted for being disrespecful. They can’t win. Programming didn’t have to be Verdi-requiem sized: why not the 1931 Elgar Nursery Suite that was dedicated to “their royal highnesses the Duchess of York, and the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose”? Then Walton’s Orb and Sceptre written for her 1953 Coronation. I think she would have loved it.
Why don’t we all program the concert that should have been. I’ll start: Elgar “Nursery Suite”, Coates “The Three Elizabeths”. (And if there was ever a time to come together to sing “Jerusalem,” this is it. Of course I say this from the the next continent to your left if you are in London and facing North. But I greatly admired your Queen, her spirit and steadiness. And her Hubert Parry-loving son. God Save King Charles III.)
The BBC is very clearly walking on eggshells, as the right-wing media and Tory government are carefully watching for any mistake that could justify cutting its funding further. Obviously anything that could remotely resemble a lack of deference or could be weaponised as a disrespect to the Queen will be avoided, even when it translates into the ridiculous.
Many of the artists involved from players to singers have been saddened and greatly affected by the Queen’s death. Is it not also a lot to ask of them to “entertain” us during these days? They aren’t robots.
Nonsense. They are professionals, they’d get over it.
More than half of them are amateurs who pay for the privilege. The SO and singers are pros, but not machines. The Symphony Chorus do it for love and fun.
Well they should take a leaf out of the Queen’s book and just get on with it.
Anyway, this is clearly not the reason any event was cancelled.
… so what about the ‘serfs’ working throughout this period, you know, farmers, doctors, teachers …. Such a ridiculous suggestion!
Has Leif Segerstam already finished his next symphony?
There’s also the fact that Verdi’s Requiem was already performed in this series of Proms – it was on the First night. So I think that would have been an odd choice. I can understand cancelling the last night, because it’s a party, and it would be odd for that to be the first public occasion of singing “God Save the King”
Yes, is the answer. The country is in mourning. I was there last night with not a full hall but with a very respectful and very tearful audience and tearful orchestra. It was far from a muted account with the audience singing God Save the King. He may be king but remember he has lost his mum – not a local MP – and only last year his dad. There’s a human side in all of this.
The answer- is a definitive ‘no’. I vividly recall 2001 & the atrocities in New York City, in which the then conductor of the BBCSO, Leonard Slatkin, 2 days after the horrors- refused to conduct a Last Night comprising ‘Rule Britannia’ & ‘Land of Hope & Glory (replacing with Barber’s Adagio & the finale of Beethoven 9 from memory). Slatkin got a lot of stick at the time- but it was the right & appropriate thing to do under the terrible circumstances of the time. The Queen’s impeccable reign (although I never met her & am reliably informed- although she admired & supported musicians- she had no great passion for music itself) deserved some kind of Last Night Celebration. Perhaps beginning or ending with Elgar’s evocative orchestration of Jerusalem- which is much more appropriate than ‘Land of Hope & Glory’- which is a bit of a joke in a ‘Land’ now more renowned for increasing prices, Cancel Culture & general shoddiness in all walks of public & private life.
Don’t be so quick to judge – they were in an impossible position.
To be fair, the Last Night which is not about music but about celebrating the end of the season with flag-waving and cheering was always going to seem inappropriate. And at short notice it must have been easier to cancel it than come up with a respectful alternative that would have suited an audience who had booked specifically for the Last Night jinks.
But I can’t see why there should have been any particular sensitivity about tonight’s (Friday’s) Prom.
Thursday’s was so soon after the announcement that they would have had to go with the “safest” solution.
When a great musician dies, concerts go ahead as normal, possibly with a short tribute added at the beginning or as an encore. Why should the show stop for the death of a 96-year-old woman whose importance arises solely by virtue of being born to the right father?
The death of Elizabeth Windsor, like the death of any human being, is sad, especially for her family, but that is no reason to cancel events at this order of magnitude. She died of natural causes at a ripe old age in the comfort of one of her many homes, enjoying far better medical care than one can hope to obtain on the NHS, and surrounded by some of her immediate family. Many people die in far worse circumstances (the recent shooting of a 7-year-old girl in Liverpool springs to mind).
And many a great British man or woman has died recently with far less commemoration (for two obvious recent examples, the composer Harrison Birtwistle and the scientist James Lovelock spring to mind).
Will all the musicians, support staff, and contractors be paid in full for the cancelled events? And will any soloists and composers who have been deprived of a career-defining platform be offered an equally prestigious engagement in the very near future?
Exactly, you put it much more eloquently than I had but these are exactly my sentiments.
Your examples of Birtwistle and Lovelock are perfect too, they both made far more impression on me than our head of state.
It’s too bad that no one thought to pull out Hindemith’s “Trauermusik”, composed, copied, rehearsed and performed in less than a day after the passing of George V in 1936. An orchestra like Philadelphia could easily have given a dignified reading on short notice.
I don’t know why they couldn’t have carried on with the program. I don’t know what the original was, but surely this fine ensemble could have quickly switched to something more sombre for the occasion. Bruckner 9, or such?
Also, the Queen dying at age 96 is momentous, but not surprising and not a tragedy. It’s something to mark more with respect and reflection as opposed to shock and grief.
And for Last Night they surely could have reconfigured the program, similar to how Leonard Slatkin did after 9/11.
Philly had the privilege of the class act memoriam in my opinion. But yes, it’s regretful there’s no official last night of the proms, though the world understands why.
Elgar’s Nursery Suite , John Rutter’s
Requiem , Vaughan Williams’ Tallis
Fantasia and Beethoven’s ( Wellington’s )
Victory Symphony would have worked
for me .
The short answer to NL’s question is “yes”, for all the diplomatic reasons already mentioned. And for the practical reason that the existing Last Night will already be rehearsed.
Radio 3 has done an exceptional job over the last couple of days (after Friday night’s understandable news takeover). Normal presenters, live not prerecorded, sober not sombre.
If I were in charge of BBC music I’d be planning a big celebration concert in the RAH with most of the last night favourites. I’d then vow to put them in their cupboard for a very long time.
Damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
Happily the Royal Opera House has resumed its programme. Last night I enjoyed an opera about a dysfunctional royal family (i.e. Salome). We did get to sing “God save the King” for the first time in a very long time.
Is this the decision of Alan Davey or Tim Davie, or indeed any other Davee? I gather that it’s the RAH that made the decision, rather than the ever-spineless BBC?
Speaking as a Royalist and a strong supporter of the Monarchy, I think the decision to cancel the Last Night of the Proms was a very poor one!
A quick change of programme to reflect the solemnity of the occasion would have been no problem whatsoever for the professional musicians of the BBC Symphony Orchestra!
In times of grief and sadness, music is one of the strongest forms of conveying a nation’s feelings for the Royal Family.
A very poor decision by the BBC!
I see that the BBC is broadcasting Pointless Celebrities’ in the slot allocated for the Last Night of the Proms. So much more respectful, don’t you think?
Perhaps Haydn’s Symphony 45 the “Farewell” could be considered. Haydn had a close bond to Great Britain.
If you knew anything about the Farewell Symphony, you’d know immediately why it’s an inappropriate choice. It wasn’t written to mourn anybody, but rather to protest the harsh working schedule under which Haydn’s musicians had to operate.
With a little imagination the BBC could have put together a program of appropriate music surely.
Difficult
Possibly correct decision..marginally
Music soothes and heals, and I believe that a revised programme would have been a beautiful way to honour the late Queen. Her extreme age, increasingly frail health, and recent absences from customary duties mean that such a tribute was clearly going to be needed before long. Her passing is a sorrowful loss, but hardly a surprise.
A memorial concert of well-known works could have been prepared in advance (much as obituaries for notable figures are) in readiness for the sad occasion. My own choices would include the humanistic and wide-reaching Brahms Requiem, and RVW’s Lark Ascending, with its uplifting message.
Will the performers (and all other staff) be paid for the cancellations which were outwith their control?
In 2001, the Last Night was on September 15th, shortly after 9/11 – inevitably, they changed the programme and included Barber’s Adagio for Strings, which was a poignant and powerful choice… the BBC could have done some imaginative and suitable changes this time and definitely missed a trick…