BBC PROMS 2026

I’ve just watched John Wilson’s concert and at the end, I had tears streaming down my face. Even without the Verdi and the Walton, the Respighi trilogy is such a huge and wonderful piece and I don’t think I’ve shall ever hear it played better than that. He’s such a charismatic conductor and his Sinfonia of London are simply marvellous. I would have sold my house to have been at that concert.

Happily settling down for a Spanish night at the Proms.
Anyone else?!

I’m out tonight but will definitely catch up tomorrow.

I very much enjoyed that, although I’m not a fan of the Rodrigo TBH. But I do love Manuel de Falla. Pity they couldn’t have fitted in Nights in the Gardens of Spain, too. Lovely sensual, captivating music.

OK Classy peeps…What’s your verdict on Barber’s piano concerto? I love Yuja Wang and it was a brilliant performance but…. 😫

I make a point of never watching the last night but have had visitors so intend to see the Barber on catch up. I’m still coming down off cloud nine after the NYO concert with Thomas Adez conducting. I’ve watched it twice and will probably watch it again. Such a challenging programme, brought off with such aplomb. I’ve bought a ticket to go and see them in Manchester in January.

You can't please all of the people all of the time and Last Night of the Proms trying to be all things to all music lovers has just proved that IMO
Showy, virtuoso piano playing failed to do it for me I'm afraid and the Nessun Dorma and Scottish Medley were just underwhelming -not to say gimmicky.
(I actually hated what they did with the Scottish songs!)
I should have known better I suppose.

I wasn't wild about some of the stuff at the Last Night this year. I'm not keen on all the chat either, but everything has to be made "interesting" these days. I went to several Last Nights in the 60s and it used to be great fun. If you'd been going to some of the other concerts it was like an end of term party, with lots of people you recognised from other nights.

I thought the Barber piano concerto was wonderful. Not being a fan of Barber I wasn't expecting to like it but boy what a magnificent composition. Yuja Wang is a marvellous pianist.

Why on earth did a large chunk of the second half have to be a Dolly Parton tribute? The Proms is a classical music festival (or used to be) not the Grand Ole Opry.

The Last Night of the Proms. Summer really is over now.

I haven't seen the last night yet but have been disappointed by the TV coverage of the Proms which I look forward to every year.
My question is why do they televise so few? It is a great joy to me to watch an orchestra playing ... to see the wonderful process of talented people working together to create something beautiful.
Not only are only a small number televised (in spite of the fact that presumably they've got all the kit in situ) but this year some of the televised content has contained compilations from previous years. Why?
There is also a tendency to lean towards televising what they see as the more accessible stuff.

Now I like all genres of music and have nothing against broadcasts of any music of any kind, but the Proms is a classical music celebration for real enthusiasts and it is being watered down and I am sad about that.
Also the BBC Young Musician of the Year has been watered down by the ending of category heats with real expert judges in each category. There is now a panel of 3 who judge every heat regardless of their knowledge (or lack of) about a particular category (e.g. woodwind). I felt that the contestants, with their wonderful talents and huge dedication, were truly sold short and are destined to be in the same boat this year. I feel it is an insult to their talent and hard work and a number of teachers at music colleges have expressed the same view.

I do see all of this as dumbing down and it makes me sad.

I couldn’t agree more, Luckygirl. I’ve been in London and Windsor this weekend with DD and DSiL
We had a Proms party in the hotel bedroom last night which was fun but we weren’t sad….we were fuming! 😡

My analogy is that if there were a country music festival (wonderful - I would go to it!) I would not expect the BBC Phil to roll up and play Beethoven in the middle of it!

I enjoyed it. It was fun I thought the songs in memory of Dolly Parton were perfect, Sheridan Smith was iffy strange choice but Beverly Knight was excellent.
It has to appeal to everyone if they want it to continue.
I see the review in The Times gave it 4*

Luckygirl3

My analogy is that if there were a country music festival (wonderful - I would go to it!) I would not expect the BBC Phil to roll up and play Beethoven in the middle of it!

I’m with Luckygirl on this. I don’t think the Proms necessarily have to appeal to everybody any more than Glastonbury or any other specific genre music festival.
Surely there is room for all tastes- but not necessarily at the same time.

*I don’t think the Proms necessarily have to appeal to everybody any more than Glastonbury or any other specific genre music festival.
Surely there is room for all tastes- but not necessarily at the same time.*

This ... definitely.

All genres of music deserve their air time but people have different tastes and need to be able to target their listening to their own taste without it all being jumbled up.

I take the point you all make but Dolly Parton's contribution to music and her philanthropy make her worthy of

Flipping phone

of recognition.i'm not keen on classical music so I really enjoy the 'different' proms.

Well, apparently, Henry Wood wanted the Proms to be “for everyone” and perhaps those who we’re attracted to the Last Night because there was a Dolly Parton (who I like by the way) element, and other performers I would cross the road to give a hearing to, will have soaked up some of the more traditional music and will decide to give it give that another hearing!

There has been a certain amount of “dumbing down” on Radio Three in an effort to boost their audience figure, and it seems to have worked well (though not without taking a hammering from critics in the music world) , but they are still reasonably true to their musical following.

Fully agree with those who feel that the last night of the Proms is being made too gimmicky. This is meant to be for classical music and goodness knows there is enough to choose from to satisfy everyone without resorting to farce.

I thought the singer of Nessun Dorma not good enough and disliked his other capering incl his Rule Britannia.

There were prob other occasions for the BBC to show the Dolly Parton sketch which was good in itself but out of place.

And yes quite so, too much talking tho there always is. It shouldn’t need ‘presenters.

I hope the BBC are reading this and won’t make a similar hash of next year for the 100th anniversary.

I watch all the televised proms and wish they covered more but also enjoyed last night’s programme. As has been said, it is an end of term romp, not to be taken too seriously. I did find the tenor more than a little cringeworthy but he is a top performer so many must like him. I enjoyed the ‘Dolly’ numbers, they were only a short item.

In my youth I was a frequent ‘prommer’ and entered the ballot for last/first night tickets many times, only being lucky on a couple of occasions. This was in the fifties and sixties and by the last night we were well acquainted with other queue members. We could only afford standing tickets in the arena or up in the Gods, so the last night was a celebration. I rather missed the shots of the front row antics and costumes this year who always promoted the party atmosphere.

Sincere apologies to the purists who might be upset by my comments, but I really enjoyed the Last Night. Dolly Parton tribute wasn't so long that it dominated the evening, but Beverley Knight's interpretation of I Will Always Love You was flawless.
I liked Nicky Spence's Scottish song medley, and found Yuja Wang's playing breathtaking, even if what she played wasn't necessarily to my taste.
Classical music wasn't always "classical" - at one point or another it was "contemporary". Some of today's music is already well on the way to becoming tomorrow's classical music.
That said, I did spend some time muting Gareth Malone - even the BBC can't please everyone all the time!!

Radio 3 had NIcky Spence on air standing in for one of their regular presenters recently. I turned it off as I found him very hard to swallow and couldn’t listen to any more. To be honest I’d never heard of him before.

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of last night especially Nicky Spence BUT as I said to my husband as we watched his performance last night "people will be complaining".
And they have