Enjoying last night of the proms?

[ThatAmpleMentor]

Is it acceptable, or is it jingoistic?
Not sure

I thought Jerusalem was not supposed to be taken literally - I mean it’s very obvious Jesus didn’t come here, but I think it’s more about putting right injustices in the country and trying to make it as near to a paradise on earth as possible.

There was a pretty crackpot theory that Jesus visited when he was a child with, I think, Joseph of Aramethia (don’t know the spelling). Or someone. But you are right, it’s about righting wrongs, and I think Blake frames the poem as a question for a reason. In my head I am always going “no” after each line.

I wonder if AI can help? I just put this question into ChatGPT and I thought the answer wasn't bad. (I won't post it as it's a bit long and maybe we shouldn't encourage them.)

>>> How would you explain the song 'Jerusalem', traditionally played at the Last Night of the Proms, to someone who said: "I'll admit to not knowing much about classical music but I was curious as to what Jerusalem is actually about. I just Googled it but still non the wiser!"?

William Blake’s poem is about the apocryphal story that the young Jesus travelled to Britain with his uncle, Joseph of Arimithea who was a tin trader. It is also an anti-industrial statement, comparing the green and pleasant land to the dark, satanic mills. There’s a lot more to it, as there always is with Blake, but that’s it in a nutshell.

The William Blake lyrics actually much more critical of England than celebratory! They're a call for England to reshape itself and move away from "the dark Satanic mills" and become a New Jerusalem. I've always found it a bit weird that it's a patriotic song but it is a banger.

LNotP is fine. Some of the songs are a bit jingoistic but no worse than any other country. It's great to see the international talent that comes to Britain and it's a great celebration of our long tradition of valuing the arts.

I suppose, thinking about it, it's not impossible that Jesus travelled to England.
Unlikely as he wasn't a merchant but certainly not impossible. Romans walked or rode to Judea and to Britain so no reason why a Judean couldn't walk or ride (or sail) to Britain.

Glastonbury, according to legend. And as with all legends, there could be some elements of truth in the suggestion that Joseph of Arimathea travelled for trading purposes. It's not an entirely outrageous idea. Whether he brought the child Jesus with him may well have been an embellishment, but it's a nice story nevertheless.

Bohemian Rhapsody, was just amazing. emotional - Roger Taylor at the end the icing on the cake.

anyway the proms has been running for 130 years
do you want to cancel it?

God Save the King only lasted as long as it took me to leave the room and brush my teeth. Loved the EU flags.

So good I’m thinking of getting tickets for next year

You need to go to at least five other concerts to qualify to buy Last Night tickets.

Not a French soprano! Very much English - Louise Alder is the first English singer in over 10 years to perform at the last night. Her French was fabulous in the Fauat though!

Noooo! How did I get the impression she was French? Apologies to everyone and thanks for the correction.

I thought the bloke who sang Bo Rap was exceptional and very nearly as good as Freddie!
Didn't catch his name.

@DancingwiththeEuropeansIf you mean the bit in the Tom Bowling section of the sea shanties, everyone traditionally fake cries at that point - I was gutted they didn’t show the audience 🤣 One arrangement has a long clarinet solo too where everyone tries to put them off!

It lifts your spirits. It's good.

I miss the bit where they went round the country and showed people in Ireland singing Danny Boy

and what happened to Men of Harlech, now a dull song instead

Do they not do the outside concerts anymore, I commented to DH last night that they don't link up to them

Did it disappear in Lockdown

It's a banger simply because Parry's tune is a definite banger.Without that, the poem would probably be more of academic interest.
Blake was a radical and had no time for organised religion or the establishment, which is probably what the dark satanic mills were a reference to.

I wonder what he'd think of its use now as a patriotic hymn.

They had some provincial proms over the summer

I thoroughly enjoyed it but wondered the same, it’s sad how we feel the need to question so many things now.

@CrystalSingerFan

Could have done without God Save the King, mind you. (I'm a Republican.)

Re God Save the King maybe suggest to the Albert Hall administration they provide a trigger warning and the time when it will be sung so you can escape.

I used to always go to the Glasgow show, pre children and hoped to take them when they were older so I’m disappointed that it seems it’s not on any more.