Last Night of the Proms - Part 2 BBC Proms

It is a great party celebrating the end of the world's biggest music

festival. Welcome to the Last Night of the Proms 2014.

We are in for a real treat tonight as we watch a Sabre Dance, take a

visit to Plymouth Hoe and celebrate a special anniversary for everyone's

favourite nanny, Mary Poppins. There are spectacular soloists in the form

of Dutch violinist, Janine Jansen, Roderick Williams, and hotfoot from

the West End, Ruthie Henshall. As ever, the festivities are

spilling out well beyond the hall. There are 60,000 people celebrating

with us tonight, from London's Hyde Park, in Northern Ireland at the

Titanic Slipways in Belfast, they are enjoying the fun there, in Wales

at Singleton Park in Swansea they have all been singing along, and in

Scotland, the party is well under way on Glasgow Green.

You can press your Red Button at any time to see highlights from the BBC

Proms in the Park events. Or you can go to the BBC Proms website.

Sakari Oramo, all the way from Finland, will be coming on stage any

moment now to perform the famous Sabre Dance from Khachaturian's

ballet, Gayane. And there he is. Coming on to the stage now, Sakari

Oramo. He is going to be conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra in

Khachaturian's fiendishly fast Sabre Dance. Let's go.

MUSIC: Sabre Dance By Aram Khachaturian

Loving it here in the Royal Albert Hall! That was Khachaturian's Sabre

Dance performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sakari

Oramo. What a way to get the party started! A special mention there to

the leader, Natalie Chee, and also to the timpanist John Chimes. An

amazing way to start the second half of Last Night of the Proms. Everyone

is hugely excited. It is Sakari Oramo's first Last Night of the

Proms. He calls it a remarkable institution and he did say to me he

was looking forward to the second half when things can get a bit out

of hand! That Sabre Dance by Khachaturian was his most famous

work. Written in 1942, it was a ballet about a girl in rural

Armenia. The piece went viral and the piece sold over a million copies

in the USA alone. I can't tell you how many times you must have heard

that piece covered, film scores, TV series. One thing struck me - how

many times have you heard it as the soundtrack to figure skating? That

is what I associate it with! Next, we will hear Janine Jansen. She will

be coming on stage to perform Ravel's Tzigane. There she is,

looking gorgeous. She's appeared twice this year already. She

performed The Lark Ascending, she had her own Chamber Prom and she is

loving being here tonight. MUSIC: Tzigane

By Maurice Ravel Wow! Just listen to that cheering in

the hall at the virtuosity displayed by Janine Jansen in Ravel's Tzigane,

the gypsy rhapsody. Performing here at the Last Night of the Proms with

the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sakari Oramo. She told

me earlier how much she loves playing that piece.

Well, there is no doubting Janine Jansen's virtuosity. She started

playing the violin when she was six. She comes from a musical family. Her

mother, her father, her brothers are all musicians. You know, it was the

violin that Sakari Oramo played before he picked up his conductor's

baton. Here she comes again. Everyone loves Janine. Look at the

Orchestra clapping her as well. It was Sakari Oramo, who was the leader

of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. He still plays. You might

well have seen him and Janine playing a duet in Proms Extra

earlier in the season. And she's obviously getting ready to play

again now. I'm not sure where the conductor has got to, though. There

he is! We might see another little flourish from him, too.

A little bit of Proms history there. That was La Cucaracha, especially

arranged for tonight's concert. The fabulous Janine Jansen joined by

tonight's conductor, Sakari Oramo. Great friends, clearly. Huge fun

they were having out there. They are now getting their special gifts,

given to them by dedicated Prommers Simon and Jill Sylvester. They have

been promming since 1971, apparently.

What a great encore! I don't think anybody in the hall would mind if

they did that all over again. Well, as we say farewell to Janine

Jansen, we say hello to our other star soloist of the evening, the

British baritone, Roderick Williams. He is not only one of the country's

best-loved operastars, he's also an extremely good composer and we will

be hearing him perform two of his arrangements of well-known American

songs, starting with a classic African-American Spiritual, Joshua

Fit the Battle of Jericho. If you were watching the first half, you

heard Roderick performing in that Strauss cantata, Taillefer, a

wonderful performance by him and his fellow soloists Elizabeth Watts and

John Daszak. We also heard him talk about the big question for any

soloist at the Last Night of the Proms, which is what do you wear

when you are the soloist who is going to sing some of those party

favourites at the end of the Prom? We don't know what he is going to

appear in. As he said, he's spent more time worrying about that than

he did worrying about what he was going to be singing. Well, here he

is. Roderick Williams, with the multi-talented, Sakari Oramo.

This time, we will be hearing him sing his arrangements of some

classic American songs. # Joshua fit the battle of Jericho,

Jericho, Jericho # Joshua fit the battle of

Jericho # Joshua fit the battle of Jericho,

Jericho, Jericho # Joshua fit the battle of Jericho

And the walls come tumblin' down # You may talk about the men

of Gideon # You may talk about the men

of Saul # But there're none

like good old Joshua # You may talk about the kings

of Gideon # You may talk about the men

of Saul # But there're none

like good old Joshua # Joshua fit the battle of Jericho,

Jericho, Jericho # Up to the walls of Jericho

With sword drawn in his hand # Go blow them horns, cried Joshua

The battle is in my hands # And the walls come tumblin' down,

that mornin' # Joshua fit the battle of Jericho,

Jericho, Jericho # Joshua fit the battle of

Jericho # And the walls come tumblin'

down, Roderick Williams, what a beautiful

voice. How much is he enjoying himself, performing his own

arrangement of the African-American Spiritual, Joshua Fit the Battle of

Jericho? Next, we are going to hear him sing Jerome Kern's Ol' Man River

from the musical Showboat. # There's an old man called the

Mississippi. # That the old man that I'd like to

be. # What does he care if the land

ain't free? # Ol' Man River,

that Ol' Man River # He must know somethin'

but he don't say nothin' # He just keeps rollin',

keeps on rollin' along. # He don't plant tatters,

and he don't plant cotton # And them that plants 'em,

are soon forgotten. # But Ol' Man River,

just keeps rollin' along # Bodies all achin'

and racked with pain # Tote that barge

and lift that bail. # You get a little drunk

and you lands in jail. # I'm tired of livin',

feared of dyin' # And Ol' Man River,

he just keeps rollin' # Just keeps rollin',

just keeps rollin' along. Ol' Man River, Jerome Kern's song to

the Mississippi from his musical Showboat, in a brand-new arrangement

by tonight's soloist, Roderick Williams.

Roddy is no stranger to the Proms, and he is hugely popular, as you can

see. He was here last month, singing in the commemoration of the 100th

anniversary of the outbreak of World War One. Five-star reviews from his

performance then. That song we just heard, Ol' Man River, made famous by

the great singer Paul Robeson in the 1936 film version of Showboat. A

real American classic. Now, it has been 50 years since the

classic Disney film Mary Poppins was released back in 1964. Who can

forget Julie Andrews' star turn as the practically perfect nanny and

the adventures she gets up with Jane and Michael Banks, alongside Dick

van Dyke, the chimney sweep. The real stars of the show were the

musical numbers by Robert and Richard Sherman. No childhood is

complete without Let's Go Fly A Kite and

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! And speaking of

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, yes, that's

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, thank you very much, the BBC asked

the young and the young at heart to send in their own footage to form a

virtual choir. So, let us take a look at this very special

performance. # Supercalifragilistic-

expialidocious! # Even though the sound

of it is something quite atrocious # If you say it loud enough,

you'll always sound precocious # Supercalifragilistic-

expialidocious! After that, I do hope you will join

in at home as we celebrate the world's best-loved nanny, Mary

Poppins. West End superstar, Ruthie Henshall, will be taking the role

immortalised by Julie Andrews and leading the audiences here and

around the country at the Proms in the Park events. Now, it is time for

me to hand over the proceedings to tonight's conductor, he is also

practically perfect in every way, Sakari Oramo.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. AUDIENCE: Good evening. It is truly

a great pleasure and honour for me to welcome you all to the Last Night

of the Proms celebrations. All of those of you who are here in the

Royal Albert Hall, welcome. And all of you watching and

listening to us around the world on radio, TV and online, welcome as

well. And a very special greeting to the

audiences in the four Proms in the Park venues around the UK - Glasgow.

And, of course, in Hyde Park, just across the road from here.

So, will you in the hall please at my sign join me in saying one big

"Hello, Parks" to them all? AUDIENCE: Hello, Parks!

It's singalong time now, wherever you are. And tonight we have a world

premiere, a new arrangement by Ann Dudley of hits from Mary Poppins by

the Sherman brothers. The words will be up on the screen or in your

programme. Please look out for the key changes in

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! I will help you. I WILL help you!

And to lead us through the medley, please welcome Ruthie Henshall!

Wasn't that fantastic? Ruthie Henshall, with the BBC Symphony

Orchestra and Chorus and Sakari Oramo in that fantastic medley from

Mary Poppins, music and lyrics by Robert and Richard Sherman, arranged

tonight by Ann Dudley. Ruthie Henshall getting flowers from a

Prommer. She won Best Actress in a Musical Role for She Loves Me.

Swansea and Glasgow are continuing with their own celebrations and you

can watch them online. Belfast and Hyde Park will be re-joining us

later. Here in the hall, we will be heading to the West Country next for

a jaunty nautical overture by John Ansell called Plymouth Hoe

incorporating some favourite old sea shanties - you will hear a familiar

tune! It won't be the last time you will be hearing it tonight. Standing

by for our conductor, Sakari Oramo, who had to go and calm down a little

after that Mary Poppins medley. Here he is. He is having the time of his

life! MUSIC: Plymouth Hoe

By John Ansell Plymouth Hoe by John Ansell, the BBC

Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sakari Oramo ending with that

triumphant version of Rule Britannia! I did tell you that

wasn't the last time you were going to hear Rule Britannia! Any minute

now, Roddy William also be back on stage to -- Williams will be back on

stage to perform it in full. And here he comes. Resplendent in red

and blue sequins! Here is Roderick Williams to perform Thomas Arne's

Rule Britannia! # When Britain first

at Heaven's command # This was the charter,

the charter of the land # And guardian angels

sang this strain # Rule, Britannia!

Britannia, rule the waves # Rule, Britannia!

Britannia, rule the waves # Still more majestic

shalt thou rise # More dreadful

from each foreign stroke # As the loud blast

that tears the skies # Rule, Britannia!

Britannia, rule the waves # Rule, Britannia!

Britannia, rule the waves # The muses still

with freedom found # Blest isle

with matchless beauty crown'd # And manly hearts

to guard the fair # Rule, Britannia!

Britannia, rule the waves # Rule, Britannia!

Britannia, rule the waves # The muses still

with freedom found # Blest isle

with matchless beauty crown'd # And manly hearts

to guard the fair # Rule, Britannia!

Britannia, rule the waves # Rule, Britannia!

Britannia, rule the waves Roderick Williams, who has the best

smile in opera, singing Thomas Arne's Rule Britannia. They loved it

so much, we had to have an encore. Now, another Last Night tradition,

we are going to hand over to Sakari Oramo for his first-ever Last Night

conductor's speech. You are all in very good voice. Congratulations.

You have just proved that Sir Henry Wood's vision to bring classical

music to everyone is alive and kicking! Sir Henry's bust has sat

looking at us all throughout this Proms season, as it always does. So,

while we take this moment to crown him with his traditional chaplet,

let's have three cheers for Sir Henry. Hip, hip...

AUDIENCE: Hooray. Hip, hip... Hooray. Hip, hip... Hooray! The

Prommers doing the honours there - Peter Burke and David Holden.

The Proms is the greatest music festival in the world. Let's salute

those many superb soloists, orchestras, choirs, conductors,

composers, who have appeared in this 2014 season.

And let's give a special round of applause to tonight's performance,

our soloists, Janine Jansen, Roderick Williams, Ruthie Henshall,

Elizabeth Watts and John Daszak. Our composers, Gavin Higgins and Ann

Dudley. The BBC Singers.

APPLAUSE The BBC Symphony Chorus.

APPLAUSE And the BBC Symphony Orchestra!

APPLAUSE Once again, there have been huge

audiences at the Proms. And as so many of the artists have said, you

really are the greatest audience in the world!

And a particular thanks to the Prommers down here.

Because not only do they come to all the concerts, but they also collect

large amounts of money to support musical charities and this year, you

have raised an amazing ?89,700! So, I have been...

AUDIENCE: More! I have been asked to also do a

personal part of the speech tonight. It's kind of difficult for me

because I'm Finnish and we don't talk very much! So, I...

AUDIENCE: Ahh! Do you know how an introvert Finn

addresses a Prom's audience in a speech? By looking at his shoes - do

you know how an extrovert Finn addresses a Prom's audience? By

looking at Prommers' shoes! But I feel really fantastic being

here right now and that's because I'm here because of you, everybody's

love for music. I - and I am sure many here and many

in the Parks, and many watching or listening to us all around the world

have got from their childhood homes as a constant heritage, a love for

music. And that's very important because music is so many things.

That is why I'm making a plea for children and young people's

continued possibilities to be exposed to good and great classical

music. There is fantastic work being done

in many schools in this country and around the world on this subject.

But, sadly, too many are left out. And the tendency nowadays,

everywhere, the resources tend to go elsewhere than in music and arts,

education. I just find that is losing some very important

priorities. Music is not only, of course, about

knowledge, theoretical aspects, but it's love and appreciation for the

art and that is what we should all pass on to coming generations in

whatever form. Music is so many things, as I said. It is

mathematics. It is science. It's a universal language to those who are

open for it. Music is history, it's culture, it's Physical Education,

it's geography. Music develops inside. Music is therapy for those

who need it. Music is a wonderful, high-speed, dual carriageway to a

human mind and innermost emotions. That's, I think, we are all here

for. We are all here to appreciate music and, yes, I will show my

Finnish flag now at the back. It's a bit chilly here! Excuse me.

I'm fine, thanks! So, let's now look forward to next

year and to the 2015 Proms, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will

be back here on Friday 17th July to open the 121st Proms season. I hope

you all can join us then. Thank you. We are going to hear Elgar's Land of

Hope and Glory, this is Pomp And Circumstance March No 1.

MUSIC:Pomp Circumstance March No.1 By Sir Edward Elgar

# Land of hope and glory, mother of the free

# How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee

# Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set

# God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet. #

# Land of hope and glory, mother of the free

# How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee

# Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set

# God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet. #

You do want another go on that, don't you?

# Land of hope and glory, mother of the free

# How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee

# Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set

# God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet. #

Land of Hope and Glory, Elgar's Pomp And Circumstance March No 1. The BBC

Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sakari Oramo. And a welcome return

to audiences in Hyde Park and Belfast, while Swansea and Glasgow

continue their own celebrations, which you can watch online.

# Walk upon England's mountains green

# On England's pleasant pastures seen?

# Bring me my spear, O clouds, unfold

# Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand

# In England's green and pleasant land! #

The stirring words of William Blake, set by Hubert Parry. Jerusalem

performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, along with

Natalie Chee and the BBC Singers, conducted by Sakari Oramo here at

the Last Night of the Proms. AUDIENCE CHEER

Appreciation from the crowd here. Before we say goodbye, it is time

for Benjamin Britten's National Anthem.

The National Anthem, arranged by Benjamin Britten and performed by

the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, with the BBC Singers,

conducted by Sakari Oramo. The wonderful story of course of

that version being performed for the Queen in 1967 and, apparently, she

said to one of the singers that she had never before been so affected by

the anthem and she added, "I have heard it once or twice before."

As ever, wonderful, warm atmosphere in the Royal Albert Hall. And from

what I can see, quite some parties at the Proms in the Park events,

too. Fantastic shots. Sakari Oramo, who was so looking

forward to tonight, and who has just relished every minute, hasn't he?

Special thanks to so many different members of the BBC Symphony

Orchestra, his first Proms season as their Chief Conductor. What a season

it has been, honestly, 75 concerts have been top notch, as ever. We

have had so many firsts, we have had the Proms teaming up with the

National Theatre to bring audiences the War Horse Prom. We had our first

dog ever take part in a BBC Proms, Salty the Dog, who appeared in the

CBeebies Prom - that was fun(!) Now, as Sakari Oramo leaves the stage,

there is one last tradition - the Prommers lead us in a chorus of Auld

Lang Syne. Well, that really is it for another

year, the 2014 BBC Proms finishing in true style here at the Royal

Albert Hall. It has been a remarkable year of concerts. We will

be back next year with the 121st season of the BBC Proms. There is

more to come. They start on Friday 17th July 2015, put it in your

diary. I hope you will join me then. For now, from me, Katie Derham, and

from all the BBC Music team at the Royal Albert Hall, thank you for

watching, good night.