back to article Doctor Who goes to the Proms

Love Doctor Who, love the theme music - this is hardwired into the DNA of most Brits. So clever old BBC leaned on this genetic flaw in July to work up a bit of a musical education for the masses with the Doctor Who Proms. On Monday, 6 September at 8.30pm the concert is broadcast on BBC 3 and on iPlayer soon afterwards, we …

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  1. Petrea Mitchell
    Boffin

    Mars

    "...And let's not forget Holst's Mars."

    Nor let us forget that it has its own movie connection; the Imperial March from Star Wars is a variation on it.

    1. Robert Carnegie Silver badge

      And a BBC TV science fiction connection

      It's the (first) music for [Quatermass].

      Oh, and it's about another planet (astrologically speaking).

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What is a prom?

    Ok in the US a prom is a dance for high school kids.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      The Proms

      The Promenade Concert series started by Henry Wood in the 1890s.

      Accessible "proper" music presented to the masses and has become a major institution in the UK.

    2. Uncle Slacky Silver badge
      Headmaster

      Promenade Concerts

      They're a season of summer concerts, held annually and often broadcast on the BBC, particularly the Last Night. I think the Boston Pops does something similar in the US, IIRC.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      no use for a title

      They are not talking about a prom but 'the proms.' I think it's short for promenade but it's just a concert featuring classical music. I'm wikipedia would put it much better than me.

    4. Chris Miller
      Thumb Up

      Promenade Concert

      These concerts are unusual in that you can 'Prom', i.e. listen standing up in an area with no seats - either immediately in front of the orchestra or way up in the Gallery at the top of the building. Tickets cost £5 - half the price of the cheapest seats. Some Prom tickets are sold in advance in the form of season tickets for half or all of the concerts, but most are sold on the day and you can just turn up and queue.

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      It's like an American concert

      Except the music is classical, quality and each piece lasts longer than 90 seconds.

    6. Robert E A Harvey
      Headmaster

      same word, different meaning

      A 'promenade' concert is one where the audience can wander around, in and out and (in the 19th C at least), make assignations with their mistress or trollop while being at a perfectly respectable event.

      In the 18th century a "promenade" social was an event where people would walk around e.g. Bath or Edinburgh showing off their best clothes, mingling socially without introduction or formalities, and make assignations with their mistress or trollop while being at a perfectly respectable event.

      In Edwardian times, a 'promenade' was a paved area near the sea-side where the newly leisured lower and middle classes could stroll around taking the air, and meeting other people informally, and make assignations with their mistress or trollop while being at a perfectly respectable event.

      Now what was that about american teenagers again?

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Old news

    Didn't you listen to it on Radio Three a few weeks ago when it was broadcast live?

    1. madferret
      Happy

      Because

      No, because I was there, standing in the arena! It was very interesting to hear the incidental music with accompanying scenes from the series but no dialogue to get in the way. Very much looking forward to seeing the TV version.

  4. Barry John Williams
    Thumb Up

    Also on BBC HD:

    Sat, Sep 11, 05:25 PM to 06:25 PM

    1. Tom Chiverton 1

      90 minute version

      There's a 90 minute version on on the 10th, according to the Doctor Who site.

  5. Alien Doctor 1.1

    To our visitors from over the pond...

    Prom is short for promenade concert, a term which arose from the original practice of audience members promenading, or strolling, in some areas of the concert hall during the concert. Promming now refers to the use of the standing areas inside the hall (the arena and gallery) for which ticket prices are much lower than for the reserved seating.

    I could be arsed to scribble the above myself so nicked it from wikipedia.

  6. Steven Jones

    Not the first Dr. Who Prom

    The Doctor Whow Prom started in 2008. Here's an exert

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTA7EpXGWPY

  7. Lloyd
    Thumb Up

    @Petrea

    Half of Holst's Planet's suite was nicked by Williams for Star Wars, not a bad thing too as it's a brilliant piece of music.

  8. VeganVegan
    Joke

    Pardon my ignorance,

    but, is it Orff's cat that is longing for tuna?

  9. D.R.S.

    The classical bits...

    ... might not be included tonight. I read somewhere that tonight's show is edited to show only the Whovian bits. The full-length concert gets transmitted another day.

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