The Proms and its peculiar atmosphere

[julietk]

I nearly didn't go to the Proms at all this year. Finally got round to it in the last fortnight: Copland/Adams/Adams last week with dogrando & catsgomiaow, and to Tchaikovsky & Prokofiev (though we left at the interval due to impending starvation) with my friend Elaine last night

Comments

[hatmandu]

When I finally gave in a few years ago to reading books and doing the crossword in concerts, it was a Good Thing. I don't think it means you don't appreciate the music - it just means you don't have to sit there staring straight ahead either seeing some distant violin scraping or the back of someone's head, staring, staring like a meerkat. Get thee thy brain space guiltless!

[julietk]

I am endeavouring to reduce guilt (in general not just in this), but in this instance many years of Forced Meerkatting obviously dies hard ;-)

[d_floorlandmine]

if you go up to the Gallery, you can lie down on the floor and close your eyes
Thank you again for the time a couple of years back when I randomly decided to join you and you suggested that - wonderfully relaxing and exhilarating at the same time. I really should go again at some point ...

[julietk]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[dogrando]

If only the acoustics in the gallery were better...

[julietk]

Doesn't bother me, I'm afraid... But then I am acoustically iggerant.

music

[webcowgirl]

This happens to me too. It just depends on where my head is.

Classical things I'm planning on doing in the next four months:
Emma Kirkby and English Viol Consort, Fri, 5 October
(possibly) THE HOLST SINGERS* and THE ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC*, Handel's Israel in Egypt, Saturday 17 November at 7pm, St. Johns, Smith Square
The Rose Consort of Viols, Sat, 10 November, 1:45 - 2:45pm, Greenwich
Emma Kirkby and Polyphony, Handel's Messiah, December 23rd, St. John's Smith Square

I haven't bought tickets for any of these things yet, but if you are interested in them, let me know and we can go together.

Re: music

[julietk]

That's all a bit too early for me, I'm afraid! I'm more of a one for modern stuff, or at a push late Romantic.

The Messiah is nice in patches (I've played it, or possibly sung it, I forget), but there is quite a *lot* of it iirc...