Sir David Attenborough talks about his Last Night!

It should be acknowledged, Peter, that Sir David not only went to quite a few excellent proms this season. He also took part in at least three (including the Last Night):



https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2009/whatson/0108.shtml



https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2009/whatson/0208.shtml



https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2009/whatson/1209.shtml



As a scientist rather than musician myself, I applaud Sir David's contribution to the season. Writing in today's FT, Richard Fairman argues that it is easy to look out over the waving flags at the Last Night and assume the Proms are an English tradition that is resistant to change. But a look back over the programmes of the previous 40 years tells a different story: the growth of the Proms in size, ambition and reach has barely paused for breath.



" ... The key feature of the 2009 season has been access. The Last Night on Saturday reached the widest global audience yet, with countries as far afield as China, Japan, Belarus and Egypt signed up for the television broadcast and live satellite relays going out for the first time to cinemas worldwide. On home ground, events such as the free family Prom and “Evolution”, the Darwin-inspired kids extravaganza, banged the educational access drum. Maybe the programme set its artistic sights less high than in recent years – the season’s themes were rather footling and the absence of big American orchestras, stranded by the credit crunch, did not help – but 2009 was still a festival of huge scope."



https://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/97771b66-a076-11de-b9ef-00144feabdc0.html



It was, in my judgement, great fun, so I think you pulled it off, Peter (and everyone else)! All the best,



c.