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Through some recordings of the shows, we will present the different past editions of the Night of the Proms.

John Miles had already sung Music and Il Novecento had just played the Cavalleria Rusticana; and we had only just begun the 5th song of the evening! And then that classy gentleman came up, in a suit without tie and half-haved. The song text is like a poem: a complete surrender to the big love, even when it leads to self-destruction! Can you hear Fine Fleur gently joining in at 0:50? Without motions, relaxed, only Roch Voisine’s typical voice; the simplicity underlines the grandeur of this song. The audience listens intently and enjoys. You as well? A deserved grand applause by the audience, accompanied by Robert Groslot.

Another nice example of how we got the wrong end of the stick. Markus Othmer announces a vibraphone solo by Patrick Desmet. However, after a few second he stops. At the December tour of NOTP there is a Christmas market in every German city and Patrick bought a Christmas hat; the Germans love his Jingle Bells! But the change at 1:10 to The Look Of Love is sublime; you clap your hands spontaneously! We’re nearly at 2:00 when golden Martin Fry starts singing: Love makes a grey sky blue; that’s how his first paragraph ends. This ABC song was a number 1 in 1982. Now you can hear again why.

Charlie Siem’s grandmother had recently deceased, and he played her favourite song: Estrellita by the Mexican composer Manuel Ponce. She was one of the stars on the starry sky, the background. It is difficult to fascinate more than 10 000 people with an intimate nostalgic song, but Charlie and his violin succeed marvellously. Dream away…

In Antwerp, Barry Hay was the surprise guest, but in the Netherlands the singer of Golden Earring was on the playbill. At first Il Novecento creates a kind of tension with James Bond Music; who’s up next? At 0:20 the specialists already guess who’ll come up, but thanks to (0:50) Patrick Desmet’s drum rhythm and Rogier van Wegberg’s bass line does the audience know that a gigantic rock song will be up. Barry comes up (1:15), takes the micro, pulls it at a slant, and sings: “I’ve been drivin’ all night, my hand’s wet on the wheel”. Everyone knows the drum and bass line, but as well for guitar artists like Leendert Haaksma is this a party. The entire orchestra, the Electric Band, the backing vocals and Barry Hay clearly enjoy Radar Love. And off course, the audience too!

The Godfather of soul, James Brown, was enthusiastic about his performance to NOTP in Antwerp. He came with a bunch of musicians so it took a while before everyone got set up. Then, he was announced by the man who is announcing him for about 40 years, Danny Ray. Surprising small man, James Brown, but what an energy at his age! It must have been very hard for Franck van der Heyden to arrange, Il Novecento is proving once more to be very funcky to guide a star like James Brown. Here, we got the chance to see a legend in action.

Joe Cocker has a thing for Night of the Proms. In 1992, when is career was on a slow point, Jan & Jan got him to NOTP and Joe will never forget it. In 2004 Carl Huybrechts was giving a lot of explanation about the accordion, a folk instrument, played by Damian, the man with the panpipes. We were misled because after a few seconds Joe Cocker enters the stage with the beautiful ‘N’oubliez Jamais’. Unfortunately, Catherine Deneuve isn’t joining him on stage! Even after a few misunderstandings and the conflict between generations, every person doesn’t only get the DNS from his parents, but also the advice. Joe has a lot of experience from life to bring the message in a fantastic way!

Dirk Hohmeyer, the German organizer, convinced Mike Oldfield to take part in the German NOTP. The first part was about half way and John Miles had just sung Music. Robert Groslot started playing the theme on the piano for a surprised audience. After 35 seconds the lights are pointed towards Mike on his base. Mike is standing still on stage: luckily his music is full of life! From 1:45 John miles is joining with his guitar. The calm Mike Oldfield changes guitar around 3:15 and moves on to the famous rhythm change. At that time, we can hear a Spanish guy shouting ‘Madre de Dios’ around 5:40 because all the powerful music became too much. Laurie Wisefield and John Miles are playing the themes after which Mikes (around 6:45) is putting the cherry on top of this magical music with the backing vocals.

About hunderd years ago, Edward Elgar wrote his Pomp and Circumstance Marches, of which the first, Land of Hope And Glory, is an annual item both here as during the Last Night of the Proms shows in London. Traditionally, this is the last but one song of the show. You can see the young Robert Groslot conducting Il Novecento. Compare this version with the clip during the 2002 edition in Rotterdam. The audience looks to sing with more joy in 1994 but in 2002 the orchestra is enthusiastically standing up. In 2002, it is played faster. Stand up if you’re singing along!

This is in every way a historical recording. The band, founded by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson, thought never to be able to play live, this because of the complexity of the instruments and material. But, due to the introduction of the digital samplers they tried it once at Night of the Proms.
Woolfson wasn’t on stage, but he was there backstage. Alan Parsons was standing in the middle of the arena behind a panel with the samplers. On stage, behind the symphonic orchestra (!), the band was playing with amongst them, Gary Brooker of Procol Harum. This is pure instrumental music. It sounds dark, with the first messy tones of Lucifer. From 1:20, Alan Parsons starts using his first sampler, and from 4:59 the rhythm is intensified bt Mammagamma. Put your volume to the max for this.

Sir Henry Wood wrote the Fantasia on British Sea Songs in 1905 to remember the battle at Trafalgar. In this song, you can hear a part of the communication between the warships at that battle; question and response are heard during the first minute with a variation between violin and flute; next, all the violins take the theme, push the rhythm and Il Novecento plays towards a nice climax.
Who can remember that in 2004, Carl Huybrechts made every grandstand applaud separately to make some atmosphere in the beginning of the show? The second My First Night also started with this piece: Fine Fleur guided the applause when it came down from the stands of the Lotto Arena.