The Proms are a unique series of over 70 classical music concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London running from the middle of July to the second week in September. It’s considered to be the World’s Greatest Classical Music Festival.
We regularly make waistcoats specially for customers attending the Last Night of Proms. Already it’s that time of year again.
The Proms have been held annually since 1895 when they were know as The Henry Wood Promenade Concerts. Prom is short for promenade concert; when they were conducted outdoors the audience could stroll around the orchestra as they played.
Each year the audiences feast on a wide variety of classical musical treats. The most famous concert is the Last Night of the Proms. It is shown on television on BB2 for the first half then BBC1 for the second half and reaches millions of people worldwide.
Traditionally pieces performed every year are Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 (Land of Hope and Glory), Sir Henry Wood’s Fantasia on British Sea Songs, and Thomas Arne’s Rule, Britannia!. The concert concludes with Hubert Parry’s Jerusalem (based on a poem by William Blake), and the British national anthem.
Promming tickets are the same price as for other concerts in the season, but stall and circle seat tickets are expensive due to high demand. To buy a Last Night ticket in advance, you have to have bought tickets for at least five other Proms in the season.
The key to understanding this concert is to realise it is an end-of-term and light-hearted celebration. There is real emotion because it’s the last concert. It’s poignant because of sense of transitory passage of time.
Over the years many traditions have developed. The people who stand at the front are known as “Prommers”. There’s much humour and camaraderie that starts even in the long queue outside before the concert. Prommers are super keen to join in singing patriotic songs, or with accelerating clapping-along to Henry Wood’s Sea Songs, whistling to See the Conqu’ring Hero Comes or the humming to Home, Sweet Home, bobbing to Land of Hope and Glory and singing Auld Lang Syne after the concert.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s too serious. These people are having fun sending themselves up.
The concert is linked via the Proms-in-the-Park idea whereby there is a large screen video link in Hyde Park in London as well as in parks elsewhere such as Swansea, Glasgow and Middlesbrough. It’s free for anyone to turn up to enjoy the large group atmosphere of a park concert. So why not pack a picnic for a fabulous night out?
Jerusalem – Last Night of the Proms – On YouTube
The politically-correct brigade are always looking to find offence. But if you know a little history then any alleged jingoism will not upset you.
We don’t need to apologise for having a rousing party once a year. It’s about unity, okay? And that’s a good thing. The things that unite us are FAR stronger than the things which would seem to keep us apart.
Waistcoats Direct
Web site : www.WaistcoatsDirect.co.uk
www.waistcoats.com
E-mail : sales@waistcoatsdirect.co.uk
Blog address : www.waistcoatsdirect.co.uk/menswaistcoats/
Subscribe to RSS blog News Feed via a reader or e-mail:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/menswaistcoats
© 2011 Waistcoats Direct. All Rights Reserved.
Follow us on Twitter and we will Follow you