The Last Night at the Proms, the Royal Albert Hall and Remembrance service

 The Last Night at the Proms, the Royal Albert Hall and Remembrance service.

You do know what tonight is. You'd have been forgiven for thinking that it was just an ordinary night on the British calendar. But this is much more aesthetically appealing than you might think. It is the one night of the year that the British decide to celebrate patriotism although the extremists might think that this is nationalism gone mad, too British, uniquely English and therefore totally unacceptable. Besides, we've been holding this one event for what seems like 150 years and we should be used to it. 

Yes Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight marks the Last Night at the Proms. The Last Night at the Proms is simply the most culturally stunning spectacle of the year. It is time for those who will be there at the Royal Albert Hall to get all excited, wave Union Jacks and sing Rule Britannia. So why is it that we find it so difficult to whip up any enthusiasm for these grand occasions, these superbly pleasing extravaganzas that fall so perfectly on our discerning ears. We know that it makes us feel so good about being who we are and living in a country, that, although divided at times, still finds the Last Night at the Proms to be the most unifying force.

After a summer of masterful orchestral work, gloriously melodic symphonies, wondrous sounds and historical harmonies, the Proms reaches its final night at the Royal Albert Hall, a venue so deliciously appropriate for this memorable occasion that you wonder how Britain would ever survive if it weren't there. Come September, when the autumnal leaves are falling like yellow and brown confetti, a huge audience will fill those vast rows of plush seats and those wedding cake tiers of royal boxes. It will just take our breath away because it always has and, hopefully, always will do.

And yet tonight the sheer eclecticism of the Last Night of the Proms will once again be in evidence. The sheer variety and diversity of musical styles will leave us totally exhilarated and the feelgood factor will probably still be there on Christmas Eve. With the statue of Henry Wood looking on, the man who set the ball rolling for the Proms all those centuries ago, the Proms has always brought with it that special flavour, a cinnamon scent of music at its purest. It's left us with a sense of achievement that we should all feel because we, too, should feel connected, we too could produce the kind of music that the Proms has always given to us quite freely and openly. 

But tonight Sir Brian May, brilliant guitarist of Queen and his fellow drummer Sir Roger Taylor, who formed one of the finest rock bands of all time, will be there all guitars and drums in perfect unison. You will think back to that iconic moment in pop music history when Bohemian Symphony reached number one in the charts during the 1970s and stayed there for what seemed an eternity and deservedly so. May and Taylor will know that they are in the presence of musical greatness all around them. The Royal Albert Hall will turn into one of their most rewarding evenings of all time. 

We knew that we could never play the violin, the double bass, the cello, the guitar, the piano, the trumpet, trombone, clarinet, the dramatic drums, the harp and glockenspiel with quite the consummate ease of the masters, the professionals. So we reserved all of our deepest admiration for their technical wizardry, the nimble fingered dexterity of the string section and their natural aptitude for just playing music. We've all heard about the precocious geniuses of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Debussy, Strauss, Stravinsky and Handel. But these were gifted composers, men of the highest stature and polish, men for whom the writing of chords, quavers and crotchets became second nature. 

But tonight is markedly different. Following hard on the heels of exquisite jazz riffs and improvisations, there are still the classic film scores, simple folk compositions, world music, soft and heavy rock interpretations of those great bands and singers from yesteryear. Tonight it'll get very stirring, fascinating, breath taking and just the most compulsive watch you could ever wish for. For those whom classical music never really stimulated us or left us wanting more, the Proms somehow gives us a gentle tuition class, reminding us once again that music can take still take us on so many emotional journeys and never tire of its simplicity. 

Above all, the Royal Albert Hall will resound to our yearly renditions of Land and Hope and Glory and Jerusalem. During this glittering homage to music of all genres, we will think of  the familiar appearance of our military men and women at the Remembrance Service in November. There will be the noble Royal Air Force, so wonderfully served by my late and lovely dad, the Royal Marines, the Royal Navy, the Paras and innumerable folk wearing medals on their jackets and berets on their heads. And the Royal Albert Hall will look at its most genteel and just suited and booted for the occasion. 

But then a moment of sweet joy and almost classical silence will stop us in our tracks. We suddenly realise that the Royal Albert Hall can also be the venue for Remembrance services. From the ceiling at the Royal Albert Hall, the main stage below will be awash with red. Red poppies will flutter down from above gracefully, almost deferentially. Hold on, though, this wonderful ceremony happens on Remembrance evening service in November.  We'll think of the soldiers who fought so manfully and valiantly during the World Wars. The Royal Albert Hall is so versatile and multi talented that it can accommodate any occasion.