'Traditional' Last Night of the Proms may soon be a thing of the past, says Katie Derham
The 54-year-old Strictly star stressed there needs to be a 'sensible conversation' on new commissioning of modern, patriotic tunes.
The traditional Last Night of the Proms, with Rule Britannia! and Pomp & Circumstance, may soon be a thing of the past, predicts Katie Derham.
The 54-year-old Strictly star, now in her 15th year presenting the classical music festival, admitted: “I’m sure things will change.”
But she stressed there needs to be a “sensible, nice, calm conversation”, which might involve the commissioning of modern, patriotic tunes.
In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Express ahead of Friday’s First Night, she said: “Even the bits which we call the traditional parts of the Last Night haven’t always been there.
“I was interested to read an obit of Scottish conductor James Loughran who introduced Auld Lang Syne. I vaguely assumed it had been there for 100 years, but only for about 30 or 40 years.”
The second half of the Last Night line-up traditionally includes Elgar’s Pomp & Circumstance March No 1 (when Land of Hope and Glory is sung), Henry Wood’s Fantasia on British Sea Songs followed by Rule, Britannia! The concert concludes with Hubert Parry’s famous Jerusalem, and the National Anthem.
But this year’s Proms season, which runs until September 14, will once again see crossover with popular music.
Sam Smith will be performing for a broadcast on BBC Two, presented by Clara Amfo. Other features include Florence + The Machine.
Katie said: “Things get introduced and they come and they go. I think to have a discussion about what should or should not be in the programme is completely reasonable.
“There’s always new commissions for the Proms.”
● First Night of the Proms, BBC Two, Friday, 7pm. Last Night of the Proms, BBC Two and BBC One, September 14
