Original subtitles

Welcome to the second half of the Last Night of the Proms.

Thanks for tuning in.

It's an incredible occasion tonight from a historic arena,

the Royal Albert Hall.

Joining us, two men who always hit the right note,

Danny Murphy and Joe Hart.

Joe, we'll start with one of your highlights from the summer

season, Verdi's Requiem.

Yeah, Gary, a pitch perfect delivery.

They played at the perfect tempo.

So well drilled, real 90-minute performance, intense,

fiery Italian performance.

The runs in the violin were done with utter

precision, great technique.

And just a word on tonight's captain, Sakari Oramo -

the most capped Proms conductor since the turn of the millennium.

Danny, he seems to relish the big occasions, doesn't he?

I love how he conducts himself.

It's his sixth Last Night, and his XB stats are

something to behold.

XB?

Expected baton lifts.

On that note, I'll say we'll leave it there.

Danny, Joe, thank you.

Match of the Day will be back a little later, but let's head now

to the Royal Albert Hall.

Your commentator, Katie Derham.

I'm not going to lie, that's a first!

And if you're worrying that you've fallen

into some strange parallel universe - don't!

You are joining us here live at the Royal Albert Hall where we're

moments away from the culmination of the Last Night of the Proms 2024.

It's been an incredible summer of live music and sport with elite

performances across the board.

We've been entertained by everything from the Euros to Glastonbury

to the Paralympics to, of course, an amazing

and record-breaking Proms season.

With that in mind, we're getting started with a fond musical tribute

to all the sporting theme tunes we know and love, from, of course,

Match of the Day to Wimbledon to Test Match Special.

Even Ski Sunday will make an appearance.

Up here in the gallery with me are the fabulous tenor

Nicky Spence and Proms fan, comedian and actor Chris Addison.

Lovely to have you here. Quickfire answer, favourite sports scenes?

Chariots of Fire because they run slow motion which is all I can do as

well and I resonate with it! Test Match Special. One of my Desert

Island Discs, I would choose it as one of the eight. All of those will

be in there I think, I think 11, Iain Farrington, very clever

composer, woven them all together and it will be fun in the fun is

starting down there. We have balloons, ... People setting things

off and during the music occasionally, it's getting out of

hand! You can see the BBC Symphony Orchestra are standing by on the

stage.

Well, as Gary said earlier, here comes our captain

for the night, Sakari Oramo, the chief conductor of the BBC

This is the first piece of the second half. Iain Farrington's Extra

Time.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

The crowd has gone wild!

Well, that has definitely got the ball rolling.

Extra Time, a world premiere by Iain Farrington, arranged

specially to mark the fantastic summer of sport that we have

all been enjoying.

Match of the Day topping and tailing that piece.

Happy 60th anniversary to everyone there.

They'll be on later after the news.

That is Iain Farrington, the composer, he blew the whistle and

got the red card from Sakari and top marks if you spotted all the 11

sporting themes, did you get them? No! Ski Sunday is quite triggering!

It means you've got to go to school the next day! Check on BBC socials

for the full list.

Onwards!

A couple of weeks ago, we had one of our most popular

Proms of the season - a celebration of Henry Mancini,

At pride of place was his most famous piece about a certain

cheeky pink fella.

It was so fab, we thought we'd do it all over again.

APPLAUSE

The Pink Panther out for a prowl.

Special mention to Martin Robertson, the saxophone player, swaggering

away. And Sir Stephen Hough on keys, our superstar soloist tonight,

living the sunglasses in the woodwind section as well.

Chris, we're of a similar vintage.

Did it take you back?

It was everywhere when we were kids. I feel like I'm on the sofa on

Saturday night waiting for the dukes of hazard! So nostalgic! We had

exactly the same childhood! The only time I was allowed a soft drink! The

rest of the time it was whiskey?! You know her well! Sir Stephen Hough

on keys. What a glamorous role, and so nice to see a saxophonist having

a moment in the sun. And Sakari very loose with the conducting. He is a

man that runs deep!

And now for a classic Last Night of the Proms gear change,

from a suave 1960s fuchsia feline to a brand-new piece

with a whole lot of history.

Earlier this evening, we heard some sublime Puccini

from the American opera star Angel Blue.

And in a few moments, she will be back with Stephen

to perform his new arrangement of two very special spirituals

that many of us will already know and love -

Swing Lo and He's Got the Whole World in his Hands.

To Angel, though, these have a special resonance.

She and her sister both learnt to sing as children

through spirituals like these with their musician

father Sylvester.

So a really powerful and moving reason to bring this one

with her tonight and of course an exciting opportunity to hear

a brand-new collaboration between two of the hottest musicians

on the world stage.

And here she comes now, Angel Blue.

Look at that orange dress! Joining Stephen Hough it was already at the

keyboard. Written just for her.

This is 'In His Hands'.

# He's got the whole world in his hands

# He's got the whole world in his hands

# He's got the whole world in his hands

# He's got the whole world in his hands

# He's got you into me, sister, in his hands

# He's got you and me, brother, in his hands

# He's got everybody here in his hands

# He's got the whole world in his hands

He's got the stars and to the moon in his hands

# He's got the sky and the sea # In his hands

# He's got the waves in the water in his hands

# Guardhouse the whole in his hands

He has the little tiny baby in his hands

# He's got the little tiny baby in his hands

# He has my little tiny baby in his hands

# He's got the whole world in his hands

# Swing low, Sweet

Chariot # Coming for to carry me home

# Swing low, Sweet Chariot # Coming for to carry me home

#

# I looked over Jordan, and what did I see,

# Coming for to carry me home.

# I saw a band of angels coming after me,

# Coming for to carry me home.

# If you get back to heaven before I do,

# Coming for to carry me home

# Please tell my father # I am coming up too

# Coming for to carry me home.

# Swing low, Sweet

Chariot # Swing low, Sweet Chariot

# Coming for to carry me home

CHEERING

Just a gorgeous reaction here in the hall to that arrangement of He's Got

The Whole World In His Hand and Swing Low Stephen Hough arrange

that. The emotion on Angel's face as she sang that. She is emotional,

isn't she? Her voice takes a direct flight from her soul straight into

ours, and it is so beautiful. I felt the sense of communion in the shared

experience together tonight. And they just received their presents as

well, another tradition here at the Last Night Of The Proms. A lovely

moment. Chris, having heard Angel sing Puccini in the first half and

spirituals then, very different focal challenges, but she just steps

up. You often hear people talking about the human voice as an

instrument, and when you hear somebody using it in such a

different and specific way, you see what they meant. With Macchini she

was trying to reach the heavens, and with the spirituals she was singing

from the earth. And because it was written for her, you will know that

sense that she was able to explore within the music come away with

Puccini you are having to hit particular scored themes, whereas

there it was like a relationship between her and Stephen and finding

their way around the song. And Nicki, you have worked with Stephen,

he has written pieces for you as well. How collaborative is that

process? He takes real care and getting to know the gold nugget on

the person, and you feel as if you are wearing a tailor-made suit. From

my own words, I sound better than I have any business sending when I

sing his music, it is such a gift, there is no extra fat, it is

economical and heartfelt. And if we can take anything from that, it is a

reminder of the incredible power that music has had to stop us in our

tracks.

Hundreds of thousands of people have made Proms pilgrimages this summer

to hear live music either here at the Royal Albert Hall

or in venues across all four nations of the United Kingdom.

There is a magic to being part of that live audience.

And very excitingly, the Poet Laureate and a Proms

regular himself, Simon Armitage, has written a brand-new poem for us

to celebrate just that - the act of coming together

with thousands of strangers and simply listening.

A London evening leaves its hustle and hassle outside,

enters the hushed dome, the upholstered dark.

Here comes the soft percussion of footsteps

wandering down to the front,

the fluted burble of small talk and chat.

The air in the hall seems tuned to the wavelength of songs,

every box, alcove and arch is an ear cupped for what happens next.

So the violin gathers its thoughts.

And the oboe holds its breath.

And the trombone strains at the bit.

And the piccolo bites its lip.

And the bass drum slows its pulse to a dead stop

until the conductor touches the tip of a wand

to the sweet-spot of silence and something called music begins.

Look how music falls like light on the faces of strangers.

See how the harp is a heart, how the cello is human in body and mind.

Music - its own gravity, bending the natural laws.

Music as all time and no time at all:

in the split-second gap between sound being made

and sound being heard eternity hangs.

Audience, you are the instrument, you are the tune:

a moment's pause

after the final note then all your hands

are suddenly playing the music we call applause.

That beautiful?

Words written and read by the wonderful Simon Armitage,

specially written

for tonight's concert.

Simon's called that new poem simply The Proms, and Chris,

such evocative language.

It is important stuff, and there is nothing quite like it. It is quite

rowdy down there, but the minute the music strikes up, everyone is

concentrating on the same semi-miraculous thing that is

happening, and we don't get that much in life these days.

much in life these days. Not many people get that, and there are not

that many times that we are all together in a room concentrating on

that. It is directly related to standing in Wembley Stadium with

85,000 other people scream the words to a Taylor Swift song. It is

absolutely people communing together. And on stage as a

performer, we talk about how special the audience are, and that energy

informs your performance, doesn't it? Of course it does. It is

entirely unique. The audience themselves are complicit in that

experience. They want you to do well, and it feels like you're doing

it together, and that sense of communion crosses all boundaries,

and even talking about musical education, every person we have seen

on stage tonight, that could be your little son or daughter or small

person in your life, they could do this, and we are so lucky to have

this music to inspire us and give us this sense. Couldn't agree more.

Well, very shortly, we're going to embark on a journey

through maritime history in the form of Henry Wood's Fantasia

on British Sea Songs and everything will get rather

jolly, rather quickly.

But first, one more treat from Angel Blue.

When you get invited to do the Last Night of the Proms,

you pretty much get free rein to choose what you want.

But there's kind of one non-negotiable.

And that is, we want a banger.

We want a song that's going to leave our jaws on the floor.

Angel has chosen Carceleras by the 19th century Spanish composer

Ruperto Chapi.

Nicky, she has done us proud with this one, hasn't she? It is

passionate. I know of the Passion of Scotland, but Spanish people are

passionate too. It is very exciting. I have to say that she is in full

wooing mode, and anybody who doesn't submit to her vocal talents and

pyrotechnics, doesn't know what is going on. And Chris, I'm not going

to ask you to give us the entire plot.

This aria has been plucked out of Chapi's zarzuela

Zebedee's Daughters.

What's going on in the opera at the point that this comes along?

This is the heroine, Louisa, who works at the Taylor, and she is

basically boasting, the whole song is her boasting about how she has

got the boy and he is such a cool boy, and all the other girls want

the boy, and it is essentially a 19th-century diss track, but you can

draw a line from Figaro, Figaro right down through this, right down

through the music hall down to Hamilton. It is about how dexterous

they are verbally, the singers, it is a real challenge. And I saw her

in rehearsal, she is phenomenal, and her face is so alive, it is great.

And so entertaining, and the fact that she can sing Puccini one minute

and then turn on a sixpence and give us this, it is testament to her

powers. Talking of which, I have heard a rumour she is about to come

on stage. She will show us exactly what she can do, vocal pyrotechnics

are looming. There she is, the lovely Angel Blue, with flowers at

the beginning of the performance, that's a first!

This one is for you.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

I think we are all a little bit in love! My goodness, what a show

stopper from Angel Blue.

That was Carceleras from Ruperto Chapi's

Zebedee's Daughters.

She played the audience like a fiddle, glorious to watch. Sheet

knows exactly what she is doing and it's wonderful to watch somebody who

is brilliant at what they do being brilliant. All the different

characters she showed us. Might Marach us were twitching! And the

Prommers, all of their days were made, they're such an important part

of the narrative and is even being gifted with flowers... We are about

to start the classics, here we go!

CHEERING

Good evening, everyone. That was pretty good but you didn't quite

keep up with our tempo so let's do that again!

CHEERING

CHEERING

APPLAUSE

APPLAUSE

CHEERING

CHEERING

A rousing rendition of Rule Britannia there from Angel Blue

Entering into the spirit and some, resplendent in her dress and hat.

She told me earlier she likes to wear it in New York and pretend to

be a British tourist! The fun continues now, it is time for Land

Of Hope And Glory.

Great crowd participation from 6000 drummers, all enjoying the Fantasia

on British folk songs and see songs as well.

He has had a little refresh, and it is time for Land Of Hope And Glory.

# Land of hope and glory

# Mother of the free

# How shall we extol

thee

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No 1, more commonly known of course

as Land of Hope and Glory.

A rousing performance here in the hall, and up in the gallery. I'm not

going to like a quite intimidating having a world-class tennis at next

to you! But you've just got to go for it on these occasions -- a

world-class tenor. This is the bit you come for. And now time for the

speech from Sakari. No!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

The atmosphere in the hole on the Last Night of the Proms never fails

to disappoint. -- in the Royal Albert Hall. Now it really is time

for Sakari Oramo's speech.

Welcome to the last night of the BBC Proms 2024, ladies and gentlemen.

Here at the Royal Albert Hall in London and whether you are watching

and listening a TV, or radio on line, or here in the hall, I hope

you're enjoying it.

It's thanks to the conductor Sir Henry Wood that we are here today.

He founded the Proms back in 1895, and his vision of making classical

music accesible to everyone continues to inspire us today.

Three cheers for Sir Henry!

Hip, hip...

ALL: Hooray.

Hip, hip...

ALL: Hooray.

Hip, hip...

ALL: Hooray.

Here are some facts and figures for you.

There have been eight weeks of Proms concerts this summer,

with the finest of UK and international soloists, choirs,

orchestras and ensembles, conductors, composers and arrangers.

73 concerts here in the Royal Albert Hall.

And 17 concerts across all four nations of the UK, in Nottingham,

Gateshead, Aberdeen, Belfast, Newport and Bristol.

APPLAUSE

Over 3,000 musicians have performed.

There has been a wide scope of music.

The first Proms appearance for Florence

and the Machine with the Jules Buckley Orchestra.

Let's give a big round of applause to all the many artists

who have appeared in this 2024 season.

APPLAUSE

And special thanks to our artists this evening.

Our soloists, Sir Stephen Hough and Angel Blue.

APPLAUSE

The composer and arrangers of the works we have premiered

tonight, Carlos Simon, Iain Farrington and Stephen Hough.

APPLAUSE

The BBC Symphony Chorus.

APPLAUSE

The BBC Singers.

APPLAUSE

The BBC Symphony Orchestra.

APPLAUSE

It's been a wonderful season with wonderful music.

And tonight we say farewell and thank you to David Pickard,

Director of the Proms since 2015.

APPLAUSE

David will be remembered for his creative programming

and his visionary decision to take the Proms to venues across the UK,

enabling the Proms to reach an even wider audience.

Applause for David!

APPLAUSE

And you lot, the Promenaders.

The people who buy the standing ticket down here in the Arena

or up in the Gallery.

Each season they collect donations from Proms audiences to raise money

for musical charities.

You can also donate online, and it's not too late to do so.

Tip! This year you have raised a whopping sum of...

whopping sum of... £93,700! APPLAUSE

Thank you, Prommers, thank you. Once upon a time, almost a century ago,

in a small town in Finland, my late grandfather, a talented musician,

ran a shop called Sports And Music.

In that shop, he really did sell both sports and music.

Skis and footballs, guitars, double basses and lots of accordions.

I've inherited his love for music and sports.

I am a keen supporter of our Finnish national teams,

especially the women's and under 18s, and try to keep myself

fit with cross-country skiing in the winter time.

Athletes and musicians have finely-tuned bodies and minds.

They are highly skilled and highly trained.

They are totally concentrated during their task -

throwing a javelin, running a marathon, swimming the River Seine

or playing a Mahler Symphony.

They're at one with their activity.

Time stands still.

The audience is in awe.

Athletes and musicians are entertainers in equal measure.

I particularly enjoyed watching the Paralympics this summer.

Those incredible achievements, and the joy alongside

APPLAUSE

The joy alongside the competitive spirit.

The excitement and concentration similar to what musicians feel and

convey in performance.

It's been an amazing summer of music and sport,

and the BBC has brought it to you on TV, radio and online.

People gathering together to enjoy and celebrate the performing

excellence of musicians and athletes from around the globe.

Tennis at Wimbledon, the Euros football, the Olympics,

And the Paralympics. Cricket and golf, those games that you people on

these islands invented!

And music.

And music.

Of course, the

Of course, the Proms, and many other concerts. Also the outdoor

festivals.

Including Glastonbury, Reading, Leeds, Preston and more.

They can all be found online.

The 2025 Proms season kicks off on Friday the 17th of July.

I will be here that evening with this lot.

CHEERING

But for now, let this Last Night of the Proms continue with the words

of visionary poet William Blake, written over 200 years ago,

with Hubert Parry's music arranged by Edward Elgar.

It's the hymn Jerusalem.

Please do sing along.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Wonderful response to Jerusalem following those warm words from

Sakari Oramo following a wonderful summer of music and sport. And now

it is time for the Benjamin Britten arrangement of the national anthem.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Such a beautiful arrangement of God Save the King, Benjamin Britten's

version, always moving.

Now the moment has come.

Cross arms, take your neighbour's hand.

It's time to remember old times past.

This

CHEERING This AND APPLAUSE

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

And there you have it.

A night of togetherness and joy in music brought to a close,

as always, by Auld Lang Syne.

Bravo to Sakari Oramo, Angel Blue, Sir Stephen Hough,

and the massed forces of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC

Symphony Chorus and BBC Singers for a dazzling spectacle tonight.

And with that, the Last Night of the Proms and the Proms season

2024 are both officially over.

Eight weeks, 73 concerts, hundreds of individual performances,

all done and dusted.

And another year of Proms memories for us all.

It's always hard to believe it when we get to the end of the season.

But, as Sakari said earlier, only ten months to go until we get

to do it all over again.

The Proms returns on the 18th of July 2025 - put it

in your diaries right

now so you don't forget!

Thank you so much to my guests, Nicky Spence and Chris Addison,

for joining me here and thank you at home for watching.

Have a very good night.

it's time for us to go. Goodbye.