The Spotify Playlist

First Night of the BBC Proms 2009

The programme for this year's Proms seasons was published a couple of weeks ago. With an additional year of listening to classical music, it's a curious experience turning the pages, seeing a composer's name and having some idea of this or that tune will sound like, either because I've become familiar with their work or already know the piece. It's also comforting to see the same royal blue advert for National Savings and Investments on the back, which hasn't changed in years.

With Spotify, it's now entirely possible to hear most of the music from the Proms nearly instantaneously and put together playlists from what must be the largest cd collection in the world. This doesn't invalidate the experience of listening to the concert on the radio. Neither of the recordings of Bruckner's Psalm 150 is available. It is also a mish mash of interpretations and there's none of the flow and anticipation of the live experience provided by a singular musical voice. And lacks the rather good commentary supplied by the presenter. And unlike the BBC, has adverts.

http://open.spotify.com/user/feelinglistless/playlist/1vYtXL9LST2aW465hboQwK