Next weekend, as well as Last Night of the Proms, is also Proms in the Park.
I thought that the purpose of LNotP is a bit of an end of term knees-up and shindig. Tradition dictates that Part 1 is shown on BBC2 because it's a bit intellekshual and Part 2 is shown on BBC1 so that the common masses (but not so common that their box is tuned to ITV) can enjoy the familiar toons and jingoism.
And because the Albert Hall only holds 6000 or whatever, they invented Proms in the Park, in an ever optimistic hope that the British weather will be dry-and-fine midway into September. In principle, a Bloody Good Idea, especially when it also brings in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and that non-country known as The North. Parks can hold tens of thousands of people.
The Hyde Park features Angela Gheorghiou, Alison Balsom and Vittorio Grigolo, entirely consistent with the concept of light-hearted 'accessible' classical music.
They also feature Lionel Ritchie and a Madness Tribute Band.
Why?
I quite like Lionel Richie's records, and certainly did so in the Eighties. I love Madness. This, however, is the BBC. A Tribute Band? Isn't that what you're supposed to do for a Girls Night Out, Office Party, whatever. I'm sure in the right place a Madness Tribute Band, if they were any good, would be fun.
I can't see any benefit in mixing genres in such a judderingly juxtaposed way. If I'm in pop mode or mood I'll listen to pop; if I'm in the mood for a star soprano, rising tenor and talented trumpeter, I'll listen to them.
I think it's extremely patronising for them to imply that somehow the only way the great unwashed of the British public will come to see a star soprano, a rising tenor and a talented trumpeter is by tempting them in with a has-been MOR crooner and a pastiche of a historic rock band.
Lionel Richie and "Madness" says my age-group, and my age-group is a crucial demograph because we all have children young enough to be dragged with us when we go out on Saturday night. But I can't imagine many children being dragged in by Lionel Richie and Pretend Madness.
I would have thought as human beings we are all capable of operating at different levels. They don't drag people into watching cricket by tantalising snippets of football. Some of us might read a chicklit novel one day and a weighty historical biography the next. We snack on comfort food on Friday and eat a quality three course meal with fine wine on Saturday.
So why should something which is billed 'the world's greatest classical music festival' be mongrelised with Lionel Madness and Pretend Richie, as if somehow they make Angela Gheorghiu, Alison Balsom and Vittorio Grigolo more palatable? I don't have a bag of crisps and a glass of Ribena in-between courses at an Italian restaurant, and I don't expect to read about Big Knickers and depilation in a book about geopolitics. Even though I am quite happy to sit down and read Bridget Jones whilst sipping my Ribena with Lionel Richie on the stereo.
Maybe I would have gone to PitP for Angela and Vittorio, but I don't want to be at a place where the audience is treated as idiots. So instead I'll probably watch the Proper Prom on the telly. But only if nothing else crops up (if so I'll record it, just for Dima).
Update: having written and proofread this and searched for links I have just realised that Roberto Alagna and Chas and Dave will also be appearing. I can't be bothered to go back and amend, but just so you know...
