Last Night of the Proms

Last Night of the Proms
Name	Last Night of the Proms
Genre	Classical music concert
Location	Royal Albert Hall, Hyde Park, Birmingham
Years active	1901–present
Founded	1895
Founder	Sir Henry Wood

Last Night of the Proms The Last Night of the Proms is the concluding concert of the BBC Proms season, traditionally held at the Royal Albert Hall with outdoor performances in Hyde Park and relay venues such as Sunderland Stadium of Light and Cadogan Hall. It features a mixture of orchestral, choral, and solo repertoire and is associated with patriotic British and popular repertoire, attracting audiences including members of the House of Commons, patrons from the Royal Family, and international visitors from Paris, Berlin, and New York City.

History

Origins trace to the founding of the Promenade Concerts by Robert Oughterson? and the formalization under Henry Wood and the Royal Philharmonic Society and later stewardship by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Early twentieth-century iterations involved conductors linked to the London Symphony Orchestra and premieres attended by figures from the Victorian era into the Edwardian era. During the First World War and the Second World War programming shifted, with musicians from the Royal Opera House and members of the Royal Air Force participating in fundraisers and morale concerts alongside societies such as the Royal Choral Society. Postwar developments included collaborations with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, state events associated with the Coronation of Elizabeth II, and tours influenced by administrators from the Arts Council of Great Britain and directors from the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Repertoire and Musical Traditions

The programme frequently features works by composers linked to national identity, including compositions by Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gustav Holst, Henry Purcell, and William Walton. Signature items include compositions and arrangements associated with Thomas Arne and orchestral finales that reference themes from Georg Friedrich Händel via settings reminiscent of the Royal Fireworks Music. Guest soloists have performed concertos by Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and twentieth-century works by Benjamin Britten and Igor Stravinsky. Choral traditions draw on settings by George Frideric Handel and hymn arrangements used in ceremonies at Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral. Light music and wartime favourites from the catalogue of Vera Lynn and marches by Kenneth Alford are sometimes juxtaposed with contemporary commissions by composers such as Thomas Adès, Judith Weir, and Oliver Knussen.

Audience and Atmosphere

Attendees range from aficionados associated with institutions like the Royal College of Music, trustees from the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, diplomats from embassies such as the United States Embassy, London, and celebrities linked to West End theatre and Broadway. The crowd participates in communal singing of songs connected to national celebration, often waving Union Flag bunting and memorabilia sold by vendors from markets near South Kensington and Covent Garden. Social rituals echo traditions seen at events like Wimbledon Championships and Chelsea Flower Show, combining formal dress, informal promenading, and picnic culture derived from Victorian public concerts once held in Kensington Gardens.

Notable Performances and Conductors

Conductors who have led the concert include Henry Wood's successors such as Sir Malcolm Sargent, Sir Adrian Boult, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Andrew Davis, and Antony Payne. Soloists of renown have included members of the Philharmonia Orchestra and guest artists like Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Jessye Norman, Kiri Te Kanawa, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Itzhak Perlman, and Mstislav Rostropovich. Memorable evenings featured premieres by Benjamin Britten and landmark interpretations by the London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and chamber groups affiliated with the Royal Academy of Music. Special appearances by political figures and statesmen at the concert mirror civic gatherings such as Trooping the Colour and commemorations like those for the Battle of Britain.

Broadcasts and Media Coverage

Broadcast since the era of Marconi Company wireless transmissions, the event has been carried by the BBC World Service, televised on channels linked to the British Broadcasting Corporation Television Service, and relayed internationally via networks such as US Public Broadcasting Service, Deutsche Welle, NHK, and Radio France. Coverage includes commentary from presenters affiliated with the BBC Proms team and analysis by critics writing for publications like The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Le Monde, and The New York Times. Radio broadcasts have featured orchestral microphones developed with engineers from firms related to Marconi-EMI and recording producers from labels such as Decca Records, EMI Classics, and Sony Classical.

Controversies and Criticism

Criticism has addressed programming choices compared to festivals like the Aldeburgh Festival and Edinburgh International Festival, debates over patriotic repertoire similar to disputes at Wembley Stadium events, and disputes about sponsorship from corporations tied to controversies like those surrounding BP and Imperial Chemical Industries. Cultural commentators from outlets such as The Spectator and New Statesman have debated issues of inclusion, allegations of nationalism, and demands for broader representation of composers including Dame Ethel Smyth, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, William Grant Still, and Florence Price. Legal and ethical discussions occasionally referenced institutions such as the Equality and Human Rights Commission and programming panels including members of the Arts Council England.

Category:Classical concerts