brisbane hate

Roxanna Panufnik takes a bow. Photo: Chris Christodoulou/BBC Well, we needn't have worried. What usually happens at the Last Night of the Proms happened again: differences are put aside, all are welcomed in with flag of whatever hue, and there's one great big jamboree of a musical party, where we get to join in. A few years back (2013, I think, was the last time I was there) it struck me that what actually matters in those audience songs is not the content, but the fact that we're all there and singing together, and singing with the professionals and the orchestra and, in this case, Gerald Finley and Sir Andrew Davis. Nothing brings people together like singing. Goodness knows why, but it's true and you can feel it, palpably. It was a big night. Roxanna Panufnik's beautiful and very atmospheric new Proms commission, Songs of Darkness, Dreams of Light, had its world premiere; saxophonist Jess Gillam must surely have shot to superstardom, music poring from every cell;...

I'm off to the Last Night of the Proms, mainly because I think it's going to be fun (?) to write about it, this year of all years. When I last went, in 2013, I found that one of the jingo-songs stuck in the craw somewhat - I love Jerusalem , but not Land of Hope and  Glory . I mean, come on, even  Elgar  didn't love Land of Hope and Glory . So, as I like making up words, I made some up . Join in if you feel  the  same. (This is strictly tongue-in-cheek, by the way - just a bit of fun - and anyway, if I make up words, you can too.)   I love Edward Elgar, he's the man for me He's our greatest composer, as tonight we see. He grew up in Malvern, he was quite self-taught, Then he made the big time, as is right he ought. Then he made the big time, as is right he ought. Let us sing of Elgar, let his soul fly free, Let our song reach to heaven, wherein he may be; Wider still and wider shall our message sound: Music lasts forever, let this song shine out Music lasts...