The annual series of Prom concerts at Royal
Albert Hall in London have traditionally closed with the audience waving flags
and singing along to “Land of Hope and Glory” – lyrics set to the Edward Elgar
march that Americans recognize as “Pomp and Circumstance.” That is the march often
played as the processional at high school graduations (or at least it used to
be in the ancient days of my youth.) This year the YouTube of the September 10,
2016 Last Night of the Proms “Land of Hope and Glory” is particularly
heartening as well as entertaining.
Conducted by Sakari Oramo with the BBC Symphony Orchestra (9 minutes)
Yes, there were flags of the EU
(spoilsports) and if you go through the comments section, you’ll see the
pro-Brexit and anti- Brexit sentiments. But mostly you see Union
Jacks galore inside Royal Albert Hall and at the sing-alongs broadcast from London’s Hyde Park and from Belfast. It was a celebration of British culture,
heritage, and tradition. The Brits were out in force enthusiastically waving
their flag.
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