Synchronised Jingoism

Last night of the Proms – GlasgowThere’s something slightly bizarre about doing the Last Night of the Proms as a link-up from the Albert Hall to Swansea, Belfast and Glasgow. Surely, all those sea shanties, waved crosses of St. George, and Union Flag boaters would incite riots around the nations and regions?

Nah, through a cunning ruse it seems each prom was a cavalcade of appropriate nationalist fervour; while London was bathing in Elgar, up in Glasgow we had a bit of a ceilidh. By the time Jerusalem was builded, the Scots were singing with the best of them. Which, as an Englishman, was pretty bizarre to be in the middle of.

Thus, a fun time had by all. Bravo BBC for turning an event that’s always dangerously close to both jingoism and loony panto into something of a (genuinely national) party. Perhaps by next year the howl-round will be sorted, and the Glasgow promenaders will be able to hear the orchestra, hmm?

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