Last Night of the Proms
When I was a child, I used to love the Last Night of the Proms. I found the combination of music, cheery flag waving, dinner suits and silly hats, all in the beautiful surrounds of the Royal Albert Hall, a heady combination. To my young eyes, it was like watching a surreal ‘foreign’ world full of happy people singing (the sort of people who had probably grown up in thatched roof cottages and had regularly enjoyed boarding school midnight feasts). It had a magical allure and I was glued to the TV every time it was on.
A few years ago I actually managed to get tickets for the same event through a friend. The first half was ace. For one, you’re in the Royal Albert Hall which is always a delight and the performances that night were fabulous – Andreas Scholl singing Handel and Purcell and John Williams playing Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez.
But then came the second half. Although I knew to expect all the usual patriotic tunes, I didn’t quite anticipate the impact of them. At first I soaked up the emotion of the atmosphere with contented amusement. However, as the evening wore on and everyone else was carried away on a tide of patriotic fervour, bemusement turned to bewilderment. What looked like harmless fun on TV, felt creepy and curiously un-British in real life.
I found myself quite frankly unnerved by the serious faces of my fellow prommers as they gustily sung along to Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance i.e. Land of Hope and Glory and positively squeamed my way through Rule Britannia. By the time we got to the national anthem all my love for this country (and my own parentage) had evaporated and been replaced by a strange overwhelming desire to wave an Australian flag around, one with the Union Jack ripped out, and shout republican slogans. Patriotism is a funny thing.
I didn’t watch it this year.
Tags: cultural difference, identity crisis, pointless celebrations
September 14th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
I think I had the same epithany although I’ve never been to lnotp in person. It did look jolly as kid, it’s just strange now. There are the george cross flags for starters, there never use to be any of those. Most of it can written off as posh people trying to have fun, which is never pretty. These sort of patriots are never appealing whether they are British, french, Eygptian or even aussies. I’d get rid of the whole thing but the fuss in daily express isn’t worth the candle, one hope is that gradually you’ll see more flags from round the world and it will diluted or maybe just dwindle like the royal tournament or the edinburgh tatoo both of which use to be primetime fixtures but are no longer on. I was never much in favour of national celebration until they started brewing really good st georges beer and that has started swaying me!
September 15th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Funnily enough, I saw the end of it this year for the first time in years, and really, it does go on. It’s almost an anathema now, but as Mrs F-C said, it’s nice that sort of thing still goes on. That’s what Britain’s all about really, isn’t it, pomp and ceremony.
That said, I wouldn’t want to go to it. The last time I was at the Royal Albert Hall for a gig was The Seekers in 93.
September 15th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
BLTP, I think that might be wishful thinking that there might be other flags there one day. The Last Night is very, very English, White English. And I suspect that that is why particular people like it.
Having said that, I can see why Mrs F-C says that it’s nice that it still goes on. By and large British people, particularly the English, aren’t really into displays of out and out patriotism. I mean it’s not like America, land of big flags and allegiance swearing. So maybe it’s not all that bad to give people some kind of opportunity to express their identity.
That kind of showy patriotism does give me the creeps though, no matter where it is.
September 15th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
c&M I only mentioned the other flags because I have seen Austrailian (and inflatable wallibies), and belgium (?) and american flags in recent years on the news, it is is noticeable how in 80’s it was all union jacks and now the flags of scotland and wales etc are on show
September 15th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Really? Really?! I’ll have to believe you, but I just can’t imagine happily waving a ‘foreign’ flag around whilst everyone else is mindlessly singing Rule Britania – unless they are doing it out of provocation!