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76-591: Bach composed his Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043, around 1730, as part of a concert series he ran as the Director of the Collegium Musicum in Leipzig . The concerto was later arranged as a concerto for two pianos by Bach himself as BWV 1062 . The concerto is characterized by a subtle yet expressive relationship between the violins throughout the work. In addition to the two soloists,

152-583: A considerably cheaper option for the more popular events. Since most promming tickets cannot be bought until 10:30am on the morning of the concert (although there are full-season tickets and weekend passes available), they provide a way of attending otherwise sold-out concerts. In 2010, the Proms Archive was introduced on the BBC Proms webpage, to allow for a systematic searching of all works that have been performed and all artists who have appeared at

228-525: A historical perspective, the term need not imply any restriction in repertory. Although the Collegium Musicum (Leipzig)  [ de ] became the most famous, due to its association with Bach, other cities had similar institutions. The Collegium Musicum (Hamburg) was an amateur musical ensemble founded in Hamburg in the 17th century by Matthias Weckmann , as a complement to the professional Hamburger Ratsmusik . Various modern ensembles have taken

304-482: A knighthood in 1911. In 1914 anti-German feeling led Speyer to surrender his role, and music publishers Chappell & Co. took control of the concerts. Although Newman remained involved in artistic planning, it was Wood's name which became most closely associated with the Proms. As conductor from the first concert (which opened with Wagner's Rienzi overture) in 1895, Sir Henry was largely responsible for building

380-406: A succession of particularly illustrious directors, including Johann Kuhnau (1688), refounded by Telemann (1702), and Bach (1729–1737), who composed several concertos and dramme per musica for weekly performances at Café Zimmermann , Gottfried Zimmerman's coffeehouse , and for "extraordinary" concerts. Telemann went on to promote professional concerts by Frankfurt and Hamburg collegia in

456-585: A very pearl of noble and expressive melody, the orchestra is used only as an accompaniment, as was usual in the adagios of concertos. The Bach Gesellschaft published the concerto in 1874, edited by Wilhelm Rust . The Neue Bachgesellschaft reports around 25 known public performances of the concerto in the period from late 1904 to early 1907: most of these in Germany, but also performances in other European cities, including London, Madrid, Paris, Riga, St. Petersburg and Vienna, are mentioned. Outside of Europe, there

532-486: A wider audience for concert hall music by offering low ticket prices and an informal atmosphere, where eating, drinking and smoking were permitted to the promenaders. He stated his aim to Henry Wood in 1894 as follows: I am going to run nightly concerts and train the public by easy stages. Popular at first, gradually raising the standard until I have created a public for classical and modern music. George Cathcart, an otolaryngologist , gave financial backing to Newman for

608-539: A wider geographical area within the host nations. All of these events were incorporated within BBC One's live coverage of the Last Night of the Proms, with live link-ups to each of the venues. However, some more traditional elements of the Last Night of the Proms (such as "Jerusalem", "Rule Britannia" and "Land of Hope and Glory") were removed on some years depending on local politics. As the popularity of Proms in

684-502: Is adorned with a laurel chaplet by representatives of the Promenaders, who often wipe an imaginary bead of sweat from his forehead or make some similar gentle, visual joke. As with the rest of the season, the cost of promming tickets (standing tickets) is just £8. Many consider these to be the best tickets due to the atmosphere of standing in the hall for up to three hours; albeit with a twenty-five minute interval. Another tradition

760-559: Is no longer permitted) to ensure a good place to stand; the resulting camaraderie adds to the atmosphere. Some attend in fancy dress , from dinner jackets to patriotic T-shirts. Many use the occasion for an exuberant display of Britishness . Union Flags are waved by the Prommers, especially during "Rule, Britannia!". Other national flags, balloons, and party poppers are all welcomed – although John Drummond discouraged 'extraneous noise' during his tenure as director. Sir Henry Wood's bust

836-469: Is perhaps more widely known still. It can be played at home, as its orchestral part can be easily transcribed for the piano. Every amateur should know the wonderful peace of the largo ma non tanto in F ;major. Johannes Umbreit's piano reduction of the orchestral score was published by Henle . Research by Andreas Glöckner , published in 1982, dispelled prior assumptions that Bach would have composed

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912-666: Is short for promenade concert , a term which originally referred to outdoor concerts in London's pleasure gardens , where the audience was free to stroll around while the orchestra was playing. In the context of the BBC Proms, promming 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 seating. Proms concert-goers, particularly those who stand, are sometimes referred to as "Prommers" or "Promenaders". Promenade concerts had existed in London's pleasure gardens since

988-603: Is sung) and Henry Wood's " Fantasia on British Sea Songs ", followed by Thomas Arne 's " Rule, Britannia! ". The concert concludes with Hubert Parry 's " Jerusalem ", and the British national anthem , since 2010 in an arrangement by Benjamin Britten . The repeat of the Elgar march at the Last Night can be traced to the spontaneous audience demand for a double encore after its premiere at a 1901 Proms concert. The closing sequence of

1064-483: Is that near the end of the concert the conductor makes a speech thanking the musicians and audiences, mentioning the main themes of the season, noting the cumulative donation collected for the Promenaders' musical charities over the season, and announcing the date of the First Night for the following year. This tradition dates from 1941, when Sir Henry Wood gave the first such speech at the close of that season, which

1140-451: Is without doubt the finest of the set, and is held in due esteem by the musical world of the present day. Two solo violins are here employed, but it is not, strictly speaking, a double concerto, for the two violins play not so much against one another, as both together against the whole band. Each is treated with the independence that is a matter of course in Bach's style. In the middle movement,

1216-563: The BBC  – later based at Broadcasting House next to the hall – took over the running of the concerts. This arose because William Boosey, then managing director of Chappell & Co. (the Prom. proprietors), detested broadcasting and saw the BBC's far-reaching demands and intentions in the control of musical presentation as a danger to the future of public concerts altogether. He decided to disband

1292-533: The Baroque era . Though closed amateur societies in concept, collegia frequently included professionals to fill out the music and admitted non-members to performances. Moreover, they often provided music for church, state, and academic occasions and gained the patronage of leading citizens. From the 1660s, their functions largely constituted the beginnings of public concert life in Germany. Leipzig collegia musica, consisting mostly of university students, enjoyed

1368-745: The Bedford Corn Exchange (home of the BBC Symphony Orchestra since 1941) which hosted them until the end of the War. Sir Adrian Boult and Basil Cameron continued as conductors of the Promenade Concerts after the War, on their return to the Royal Albert Hall, until the advent of Malcolm Sargent as Proms chief conductor in 1947. Sargent held this post until 1966; his associate conductor from 1949 to 1959

1444-527: The British Classic FM website, "the 'Bach Double' is one of the most famous of his works." The uDiscover Music website lists it among ten essential pieces by the composer. Recordings of the concerto include: Neoclassical choreographer George Balanchine created the ballet Concerto Barocco to the Concerto in D minor for two violins, with two principal female dancers each following one of

1520-519: The Reformation and thrived into the mid-18th century. Generally, while societies such as the Kantorei  [ de ] (chorale) cultivated vocal music for church performance and the convivium musicum discussed musical philosophy over a banquet , the collegia musica performed both vocal and instrumental music for pleasure; they focused on instrumental music as it rose in stature during

1596-486: The 1960s, the number of guest orchestras at the Proms also began to increase, with the first major international conductors ( Leopold Stokowski , Georg Solti , and Carlo Maria Giulini ) performing in 1963, and the first foreign orchestra, the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra , performing in 1966. Since that time, almost every major international orchestra, conductor and soloist has performed at

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1672-649: The Berlin State Library) in the 1840s. After the Second World War they were lost for several decades, eventually resurfacing in Poland. Manuscript copies of (parts of) the concerto were produced around 1730–1740, in 1760, around 1760, around 1760–1789, and in the early 19th century. The concerto was first published in 1852, by Edition Peters , edited by Siegfried Dehn . In the first volume of his Bach biography (1873), Philipp Spitta describes

1748-545: The First Night of the 2023 Proms wasn't announced until April 2023. The following table lists by year the conductors of the Last Night of the Proms. In general, since the tenure of Sargent, the Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra has led this concert, but guest conductors have directed the Last Night on several occasions. Additionally, the tradition was for a British conductor, and if not

1824-432: The Last Night is mostly sold out, although returns may be available. For standing places, a full season pass automatically includes admission to the Last Night; some day Prommers can get limited tickets available on various dates by presenting five ticket-stubs from previous concerts, either in the Arena or Gallery (prior to 2009, the requirement was for six other concerts) but most day Promming tickets are open to everyone on

1900-466: The Last Night) rather than separately. Slatkin, an American and the first non- Commonwealth citizen to lead the Last Night, conducted his first in 2001, just days after the 9/11 attacks . The atmosphere was more restrained and less festive than normal, with a heavily revised programme where the finale of Beethoven's 9th Symphony replaced the "Sea Songs", and Samuel Barber 's " Adagio for Strings "

1976-509: The New Queen's Hall Orchestra effectively continued until 1930 as "Sir Henry J. Wood and his Symphony Orchestra". When the BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) was formed in 1930, it became the main orchestra for the concerts. At this time the season consisted of nights dedicated to particular composers; Mondays were Wagner , Fridays were Beethoven , with other major composers being featured on other days. There were no Sunday performances. With

2052-595: The New Queen's Hall Orchestra, which played for the last time at a Symphony concert on 19 March 1927. He found it more expedient to let the Queen's Hall to the broadcasting powers, rather than to continue the Promenade concerts and other big series independently in an unequal competition with what he saw as effectively the Government itself. So the Proms were saved, but under a different kind of authority. The personnel of

2128-613: The Park became a series of established events in their own right, with events in Hyde Park and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, managed by BBC Scotland, BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Northern Ireland respectively, in conjunction with the host local authority. Each event has a presenting team, a live orchestra, a video link to the Last Night of the Proms in London, and guest soloists and choirs. Events tend to move to different cities to cover

2204-490: The Park events across the UK on the Last Night of the Proms, and associated educational and children's events. Recently, concerts have been held in additional cities across different nations of the UK, as part of Proms Around the UK. The season is a significant event in British culture and in classical music. Czech conductor Jiří Bělohlávek described the Proms as "the world's largest and most democratic musical festival". Prom

2280-426: The Park grew, many communities across the UK decided to hold their own "Proms in the Park" events that were not affiliated with the BBC. The last official Proms in the Park took place in 2019, and no plans for its return have been announced. The first live relays outside of London were to Swansea and Birmingham in 1999. In 2001, there were also live link-ups to Cornwall and Liverpool. In 2011, Caerphilly's Proms in

2356-568: The Park started to have musicians of their own on stage, including the BBC Concert Orchestra . In the 2000s, Proms in the Park started to be held in other locations across the UK, usually with one of the BBC's orchestras playing. In 2005, Belfast , Glasgow, Swansea and Manchester hosted a Last Night Prom in the Park, broadcast live from each venue. In 2007 Manchester's prom was replaced by one in Middlesbrough . In 2008

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2432-607: The Promenade season presented by Keith Douglas in conjunction with the Royal Philharmonic Society (of which he was Secretary). The London Symphony Orchestra had sometimes assisted in the series since (after 1927) the New Queen's Hall Orchestra had ceased to function, and in 1942 Sir Henry Wood also invited the London Philharmonic Orchestra under its new leader Jean Pougnet to participate in this and subsequent seasons. In this he

2508-469: The Proms after Glock have been Robert Ponsonby (1973–1985), John Drummond (1986–1995), Nicholas Kenyon (1996–2007), and Roger Wright (2007–2014). Between 1986 and 2014, the post of Director, BBC Proms had mostly been combined with the role of Controller, BBC Radio 3. Edward Blakeman, editor of BBC Radio 3, became interim Proms Director upon Wright's departure in July 2014. In May 2015, the BBC announced

2584-795: The Proms for a number of years, as a freelance employee after his retirement from the BBC, with assistance from such staff as Edward Clark and Kenneth Wright. During the tenure of William Glock as Controller of the Proms, from 1960 to 1973, the Proms repertory expanded both forwards in time, to encompass then contemporary and avant-garde composers such as Boulez , Berio , Carter , Dallapiccola , Peter Maxwell Davies , Gerhard , Henze , Ligeti , Lutosławski , Lutyens , Maw , Messiaen , Nono , Stockhausen , and Tippett , as well as backwards to include music by past composers such as Purcell , Cavalli , Monteverdi , Byrd , Palestrina , Dufay , Dunstaple , and Machaut , as well as less-often performed works of Johann Sebastian Bach and Joseph Haydn . From

2660-568: The Proms have always started on a Friday night in July. The Proms continue today, and still present newly commissioned music alongside pieces more central to the repertoire and early music. Innovations continue, with pre-Prom talks, lunchtime chamber concerts, children's Proms, Proms in the Park either appearing, or being featured more heavily over the past few years. In the UK, all concerts are broadcast on BBC Radio 3 , an increasing number are televised on BBC Four with some also shown on BBC One and BBC Two . The theme tune that used to be played at

2736-572: The Proms since their inception. On 1 September 2011, a Prom given by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra was severely affected by interruptions from pro-Palestinian protesters. While the Palestine Solidarity Campaign had urged a boycott, they denied being behind the disruption inside the Royal Albert Hall. For the first time ever, the BBC took a Prom concert off the air. Successive Controllers of

2812-431: The Proms. In 1970, Soft Machine 's appearance led to press attention and comment as the first "pop" band to perform there. The 1968 season began on a Friday night instead of the usual Saturday night. This concert marked a tribute to Sir Malcolm Sargent who had died shortly after delivering a brief speech from the rostrum at the Last Night in 1967. He had been too ill to actually conduct that concert. Every year since then,

2888-402: The acquisition of an entirely new set of wind instruments for the orchestra, and the re-tuning of the Queen's Hall organ. This coincided with the adoption of this lower pitch by other leading orchestras and concert series. Although the concerts gained a popular following and reputation, Newman went bankrupt in 1902, and the banker Edgar Speyer took over the expense of funding them. Wood received

2964-407: The appointment of David Pickard as Director of BBC Proms, in succession to Wright. In November 2023, the BBC announced that Pickard is to stand down as Proms Director after the 2024 season. In February 2024, Sam Jackson became Director of The Proms. Many people's perception of the Proms is based on the Last Night, although this is very different from the other concerts. It usually takes place on

3040-421: The beginning of each programme broadcast on television (until the 2011 season) was an extract from the end of the "Red" movement of Arthur Bliss 's A Colour Symphony , in 2017 Anna Clyne 's Masquerade (a Proms commission in 2013) and since 2019 an original theme by Ian Arber . It is also possible to hear the concerts live from the BBC Proms website. The Last Night is also broadcast in many countries around

3116-552: The composer, above all by virtue of its soulful, song-like middle movement." According to Michael Miller, writing for Penguin 's Complete Idiot's Guides , the concerto is one of Bach's eleven most notable compositions. In the Rough Guides , the Double Concerto is described as "one of Bach's very greatest works." The BBC website describes the concerto as "one of Bach's best loved instrumental works." According to

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3192-943: The concerto as a product of the composer's Köthen period (1717–1723) . After describing Bach's other extant violin concertos, those in E ;major (BWV 1042) and A minor (BWV 1041) , he adds: Dem D moll-Concert ist unstreitig der höchste Werth eigen und in dieser Eigenschaft findet es auch unter der heutigen musikalischen Welt schon eine erfreuliche Beachtung. Zwei Soloviolinen sind hier herangezogen, doch kann man nicht wohl von einem Doppelconcerte reden, da die beiden Geigen weniger unter sich, als vereinigt gegen den Instrumentalchor concertiren. Eine jede ist natürlich mit der Selbständigkeit behandelt, die bei dem Bachschen Stile ohne weiteres vorausgesetzt wird. Im Mittelsatze, einer wahren Perle an edlem, innigem Gesange, verhält sich das Orchester fast nur accompagnirend, wie es bei den Concertadagios ja das Gewöhnliche war. The D minor concerto

3268-554: The concerto in Frankfurt an der Oder . After his father's death in 1750, Carl Philipp Emanuel inherited some of the original performance parts , likely doubles, of the concerto (surviving: parts for soloists and continuo), and likely also the composer's autograph score (lost). The extant original parts were later owned by Georg Poelchau  [ de ] , and were added to the Royal Library at Berlin (later converted to

3344-517: The concerto in Köthen: Bach's extant autograph parts indicate that the concerto was composed in Leipzig, likely in 1730 or the earlier part of 1731. The New Bach Edition published the concerto in 1986, edited by Dietrich Kilian . According to Peter Wollny , writing in 1999, "The Concerto for two violins in D minor BWV 1043 is today one of the best-known and most frequently performed works of

3420-489: The concerto is scored for strings (first violin, second violin and viola parts) and basso continuo . The musical structure of this piece uses fugal imitation and much counterpoint . The concerto comprises three movements : Performance time of the concerto ranges from less than 13 minutes to over 18 minutes. Around 1736–1737 Bach arranged the concerto for two harpsichords , transposed into C minor , BWV 1062 . 1734–1738 Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach performed

3496-463: The current serving Chief Conductor, one who had an association with the BBC Symphony Orchestra or one of the other BBC orchestras. Charles Mackerras was the first non-British-born conductor to lead the Last Night, in 1980. Leonard Slatkin was the first American conductor of the Last Night in 2001. Jiří Bělohlávek was the first non-native English speaker to conduct the Last Night, in 2007. Marin Alsop

3572-408: The deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales , Mother Teresa , and Sir Georg Solti in 1997. Leonard Slatkin , chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 2000 to 2004, expressed a desire to tone down the nationalism of the Last Night, and during the seasons from 2002 until 2007 "Rule Britannia" was only heard as part of Henry Wood's '" Fantasia on British Sea Songs " (another piece traditional to

3648-473: The inclusion of Scottish composer Anna Meredith to the programme for her Proms premiere, froms , which involved five different groups of musicians telecasting in from around Britain. 2009 saw the continued absence of Wood's Sea Songs , this time replaced by specially commissioned fanfares, and extracts from Handel 's " Music for the Royal Fireworks ". In 2009, for the first time, the Last Night

3724-536: The instrumental soloists and the corps following the orchestra. Modern dance choreographer Paul Taylor used the second and third movements of Bach's Concerto in D minor (as well as the entire Violin Concerto in E Major) as the music for Esplanade, a dance "based on pedestrian movement". By title: By author: Collegium Musicum The Collegium Musicum was one of several types of musical societies that arose in German and German- Swiss cities and towns during

3800-829: The late 1720s, thus fostering the emergence of public subscription concerts in Germany. With the Moravian emigration, American collegia sprang up beginning in 1744 in Pennsylvania , Maryland , Ohio , and the Carolinas . In 1909, Hugo Riemann refounded the Leipzig collegium within the university, initiating a widespread modern trend in German and American universities to foster the performance of early music on original instruments or replicas. The term collegium musicum has thus come to be associated in large measure with university ensembles that perform early music, though from

3876-520: The lowest priced in the season – saw this Prom split in 2004 into two Proms with identical content. In 2008, the Blue Peter Prom was replaced with a Doctor Who Prom which was revived in both the 2010 and 2013 seasons. The 2004 season also featured the Hall's newly rebuilt pipe organ . It took two years to complete the task (2002–2004) and was the work of Noel Mander, Ltd., of London. It

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3952-548: The main season ends. CLIC Sargent, the Musicians' Benevolent Fund and further musical charities (chosen each year) also benefit from thousands of pounds in donations from Prommers after most concerts. When asking for donations, Prommers from the Arena regularly announce to the audience the running donations total at concert intervals through the season, or before the concert when there is no interval. After Wood's death, Julian Herbage acted as de facto principal administrator of

4028-604: The mid-18th century, and indoor proms became a feature of 19th century musical life in London from 1838, notably under the direction of Louis Antoine Jullien and Sir Arthur Sullivan . The annual series of Proms continuing today had their roots in that movement. They were inaugurated on 10 August 1895 in the Queen's Hall in Langham Place by the impresario Robert Newman , who was fully experienced in running similar concerts at Her Majesty's Theatre . Newman wished to generate

4104-413: The morning of the concert, whether they have booked before or not. In the post-war period, with the growing popularity of the Last Night, the only way to obtain tickets was through a postal ballot held well-in-advance. Prommers with tickets are likely to queue up much earlier than usual (many overnight, and in past years, some slept outside the hall for up to three weeks to guard their place – although this

4180-559: The name, including: The Proms The BBC Proms is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hall in central London . Robert Newman founded The Proms in 1895. Since 1927, the BBC has organised and broadcast The Proms. Each season consists of concerts in the Royal Albert Hall, chamber music concerts at Cadogan Hall (or occasionally other venues), additional Proms in

4256-588: The new Cadogan Hall, just off London's Sloane Square . These allow the Proms to include music which is not suitable for the vast spaces of the Albert Hall. From 1998 to 2007, the Blue Peter Prom, in partnership with long-running BBC television programme Blue Peter , was an annual fixture. Aimed at children and families, the Prom is informal, including audience participation, jokes, and popular classics. High demand for tickets – which are among

4332-407: The number reduced from five to four, in Hyde Park, Belfast, Glasgow and Swansea. 2009 returned to a total of five, in Hyde Park, Glasgow, Swansea, County Down and Salford . Each location has its own live concert, typically playing the national anthem of the host country, before joining in a live big screen video link up with the Royal Albert Hall for the traditional finale. In later years Proms in

4408-527: The outbreak of World War II in 1939, the BBC withdrew its support. However private sponsors stepped in to maintain the Proms, always under Sir Henry Wood's direction, until the Queen's Hall was devastated beyond repair during an air raid in May 1941. (The site is now occupied by the St George's Hotel and BBC Henry Wood House). The concerts then moved (until 1944) to their current home, the Royal Albert Hall, during

4484-590: The repertoire heard as the series continued from year to year. While including many popular and less demanding works, in the first season there were substantial nights devoted to Beethoven or Schubert, and a programme of new works was given in the final week. Distinguished singers including Sims Reeves and Signor Foli appeared. In the first two decades Wood firmly established the policy of introducing works by contemporary composers (both British and international) and of bringing fresh life to unperformed or under-performed works. A bronze bust of Sir Henry Wood recovered from

4560-553: The ruins of the bombed-out Queen's Hall in 1941, and now belonging to the Royal Academy of Music , is still placed in front of the organ for the whole Promenade season. Though the concerts are now called the BBC Proms, and are headlined with the BBC logo, the tickets are subtitled "BBC Music presents the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts". In 1927, following Newman's sudden death in the previous year,

4636-425: The same as for that season's concerts, but seated tickets are more expensive. To pre-book a seat, an initial selection is released to winners of a ballot open to those who have booked five or more Prom concerts, and in 2023 there was also an advance sale to those who had seats booked for the cancelled 2022 event. After the advance-booking period, there is no requirement to have booked for additional concerts, but by then

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4712-488: The second Saturday in September, and is broadcast in the UK on BBC Radio 3 , and on television on BBC Two (first half) and BBC One (second half). The concert is traditionally in a lighter, 'winding-down' vein, with popular classics followed by a second half of British patriotic pieces. This sequence traditionally includes Edward Elgar 's " Pomp & Circumstance March No. 1" (to part of which " Land of Hope and Glory "

4788-460: The second half became fully established in 1954 during Sargent's tenure as chief conductor. The Prommers have made a tradition of singing " Auld Lang Syne " after the end of the concert, but this was not included in the programme until 2015. However, when James Loughran , a Scot, conducted the Last Night concert in the late 1970s and early 1980s he did include the piece within the programme. Tickets are highly sought-after. Promming tickets are priced

4864-406: The series (called "Mr Robert Newman's Promenade Concerts") on condition that Henry Wood be employed as the sole conductor. Wood, aged 26, seized this opportunity and built the "Queen's Hall Orchestra" as the ensemble specially devoted to performing the promenade concerts. Cathcart also stipulated (contrary to Newman's preference) the adoption of French or Open Diapason concert pitch , necessitating

4940-765: The world. In 1996, a related series of eight lunchtime chamber concerts was started, taking place on Mondays during the Proms season. In their first year these were held in the Britten Hall of the Royal College of Music (just across Prince Consort Road from the Albert Hall). The following year they moved slightly further afield, to the Henry Cole Lecture Theatre at the Victoria and Albert Museum . In 2005, they moved further again, to

5016-409: Was John Hollingsworth . Sargent was noted for his immaculate appearance ( evening dress , carnation ) and his witty addresses where he good-naturedly chided the noisy Prommers. Sir Malcolm championed choral music and classical and British composers, especially Samuel Coleridge-Taylor . The charity founded in his name, CLIC Sargent , continues to hold a special Promenade Concert each year shortly after

5092-514: Was attempting to maintain vigour in the programme, under the renewal of its relationship with the BBC as promoters. Sir Henry Wood continued his work with the Proms through vicissitudes with the BBC until his death in 1944, the year of his Jubilee Season. During that period Sir Adrian Boult , chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and Basil Cameron also took on conducting duties for the series, continuing them in 1944 when, under increased danger from bombing, they were moved again, this time to

5168-561: Was for instance the performance by Eugène Ysaÿe and Fritz Kreisler in New York in 1905. In London, Bach's Double became a repertoire piece, for instance regularly performed at the Proms . After commenting that the "A minor and E major concertos are beginning to win a place in our concert halls," Albert Schweitzer writes, in the 1911 English-language edition of his book on Bach: The concerto for two violins, in D ;minor,

5244-463: Was performed in tribute to 9/11 victims. On the day of the 2005 Last Night, the hall management received word of a bomb threat, which led to a thorough search of the Albert Hall for 5 hours, but the concert took place after a short delay. This has led to increased security concerns, given the stature of the Last Night in British culture, which Jacqui Kelly of the Royal Albert Hall staff noted: That

5320-425: Was quite a nerve-wracker – our biggest event, the one everybody knows the Albert Hall for, and we were in real danger of losing it. We're an iconic thing, up there in the public eye, so we have to expect that. 2008 also contained some departures from the traditional programme. "Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1" was moved to after the conductor's speech. In addition, most of Wood's "Fantasia on British Sea Songs"

5396-426: Was replaced by Vaughan Williams's Sea Songs as a final tribute in his anniversary year. However, Wood's arrangements of naval bugle calls from the start of the "Fantasia" were retained, and Sargent's arrangement of "Rule Britannia" returned with Bryn Terfel as soloist. As on his 1994 Last Night appearance, he sang one verse in a Welsh translation, with the chorus also translated into Welsh. Additionally, 2008 saw

5472-406: Was scheduled to happen, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II , the first Last Night cancellation since 1944. Dalia Stasevska had been selected to conduct. Stasevska returned to conduct the First Night in 2023, while Marin Alsop conducted the Last Night. This marked the first time that the BBC Proms had female conductors open and close the season. As a result of the cancellation, the date for

5548-514: Was shown live in several cinemas across Asia and in Canada and Australia. In 2016, anti- Brexit protestors waved EU flags in addition to the usual Union Jack flags. The protests have continued in subsequent years. In 2020, the concert was performed to an empty hall, due to the COVID-19 restrictions in place in the UK . Two years later, in 2022, the concert was cancelled 48 hours before it

5624-491: Was the Last Night's first female conductor in 2013. The Royal Albert Hall could be filled many times over with people who would wish to attend. To involve extra people, and to cater for those who are not near London, the Proms in the Park concerts were started in 1996. Initially there was one, in Hyde Park adjacent to the Hall, which was a simple video relay of the concert at the Royal Albert Hall. As audiences grew, Proms in

5700-438: Was the first at the Royal Albert Hall, when he thanked colleagues and sponsors. Wood gave a similar speech at the 1942 Last Night, and a pre-recorded version was played at the 1943 Last Night. During his tenure as conductor, Sir Malcolm Sargent established the tone of making the Last Night speech more humorous. Subsequent conductors have generally continued this, although one exception was in 1997 when Sir Andrew Davis addressed

5776-441: Was the first complete restoration of the instrument since Harrison and Harrison's work in 1936. The tradition of Promming remains an important aspect of the festival, with over 1000 standing places available for each concert, either in the central arena (rather like the groundlings in the pit at Shakespeare's Globe ) or high in the hall's gallery. Promming tickets cost the same for all concerts (currently £8 as of 2023 ), providing

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