Read on Twitter
I feel a need to say something in defence of Last Night of the Proms. My lovely late ex boyfriend was a senior sound supervisor at the BBC (John Hartshorn) and he was fortunate & lucky enough to get both of us into the Last Night with his work way back when in 1995.
Continued..
Continued..
The atmosphere in there, despite what gammon would have you believe, isnât predicated on flag-fondling jingoistic crap. In many respects they could play *anything* with a catchy melody and people would go nuts.
Continued...
Continued...
It is a celebration of Britishness, but at the same time it was internationalist and outward looking. I donât advocate the lyrics in some of the stuff like Rule Britannia, & change would be welcome, but it would be a grave error to assume that...
Continued...
Continued...
...this is all Last Night is about. I still believe it is internationalist & outward looking. Remember the EU flags there in the last few years? Donât let the poppy lickers & flag fondlers hijack it. Yes, change it & let it evolve, but let it belong to all of us. @bbcproms
I just wanted to add that many of the gifted musicians & performers come from lands afar, and the audience at The Proms are *always* extremely glad & grateful to get to hear their amazing virtuosity. Thereâs a thrill there that the music & the joy it brings is without borders.
And this is a potted biography of the lovely John Hartshorn. A wonderful, unique & old school fellow who embodied the very best of what the BBC can be about.
