A Musical Interlude

The BBC Promenade Concerts or The Proms as they are known Have a long history. Promenade Concerts had existed in London’s pleasure gardens since the mid 18th century but on the 10th August 1895 impresario Robert Newman arranged the first series of indoor promenade concerts in the Queen’s Hall in Langham Place. Newman hired Henry Joseph Wood as conductor for the series of concerts he called ‘Mr Robert Newman’s Promenade Concerts’. Wood built up the Queens Hall Orchestra and the concerts gained a popular following and reputation. After Newman became bankrupt in 1902 Edgar Speyer took over funding the popular concerts. Newman continued the artistic planning of the Concerts.In 1914 anti German feeling forced Speyer out and music publishers Chappell & Co took over. After Newman’s death in November 1928 Wood became the name most closely associated with the concerts.

The broze bust of Sir Henry Wood attends every Prom concert.

In 1927 The BBC took over running the concerts and they have been known as the BBC Promenade Concerts ever since.Wood continued conducting until his death in 1944 when Sir Adrian Boult and Basil Cameron took on the duties. In 1947 Malcolm Sargent took over the chief conductor duties until 1966. In 1941 the Proms moved to the Royal Albert Hall and apart from a brief spell in the Bedford Corn Exchange in 1944 when the risk from war bombing was at its highest, have been there ever since.

Between July and September the BBC Proms are an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral Classical music concerts and other events held annually, Most in the Royal Albert Hall but over the last few years an additional venus and ‘Proms in the Park’ events have been held across the United Kingdom. 

the enthusiastic last 'nighters'.

The soloist Susan Bullock dressed for her rendition of Rule Britannia
 a last night tradition.

 On the most popular and eagerly attended Last Night, the program is relayed to an open air venue in Hyde Park and is joined by huge events in Ireland Scotland Wales and England. The last night in the Royal Albert Hall is so popular that people have been know to queue up for up to three weeks in advance to get a ticket. 

Dress code is unusual, from fancy dress to dinner jackets to patriotic T shirts. Party poppers, balloons whistles horns are welcome and a sea of flags and banners are waved from the central standing area. and the tiers seats.  

Last Night Conductor. The youngest ever Edward Gardner.

From the radio performances until we acquired a small black and white television I have listened and watched the Last Night since I was a kid. There have not been many years when I’ve missed this stirring performance of jubilant music. Last night featured the Chinese concert pianist Lang Lang in the first half and the soprano soloist Susan Bullock was the vocalist. The Actress Jenny Agguter read lines in humorous poetic format  to introduced the many sections of a full orchestra.

The unchangeable tradition of the last half of the last night is Elgar's  Pomp and Circumstance march, Rule Britannia and Jerusalem. The Promenaders, then after the conductors traditional speech, unprogrammed, sing Auld Lang Syne.

As I read one of my dear Canadian friend, Scorpio- Cancer’s blog this morning and to quote him 

“And there on the corner of Burrard and Davie was a 15 piece band with singer...the music was fantastic...had all of us moving to the beat! Now, I have to admit this was a time when the thought of cancer was NOT in my mind! Only memories, and the feeling a good band does to the soul!” 

I wondered how the atmosphere and music of the ‘Last night’ would feed his soul.  To overflowing I would think. It certainly does mine. As those classic Shakespeare lines go “ If music be the food of love , play on and give me excess of it”