Live, Video: Find classical music concert, opera, ballet and dance reviews | Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 in D Major, Op.39

Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin shine in an inescapably political programme.

Barenboim has a long relationship with Elgar's music, but the Staatskapelle's love affair is more recent, still in the passionate, excitable phase of discovery.

The 2016 Proms come to a riotous close at the Royal Albert Hall.

Flags, balloons and musical revelry bring the BBC Proms season to a close. 

Sakari Oramo takes the reins for his first Last Night of the Proms, alongside dazzling violinist Janine Jansen and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

The Last Night of the Proms provided a welcome tying-up of the various strands that have permeated this year’s season: British light music, the 60th anniversary of the Coronation, a host of premières and new BBC commissions, and the significant anniversaries of a number of composers (including the big-hitters of the season, Wagner and Britten).

The 60th anniversary of Her Majesty’s Coronation has prompted much festivity and reminiscence. To be on the throne for such a long time is a remarkable achievement, and to be almost as active as ever in carrying out royal duties 60 years on even more so; events such as the service of celebration at Westminster Abbey, and the many Coronation-related television and radio broadcasts, have provided an

The Last Night of the Proms isn’t really a concert at all; it’s two very different concerts put on one after the other. The first is something like what we’re used to from a Prom, with big-name soloists performing alongside the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Chorus in world premières and classic works from the repertoire.

The Last Night of the Proms isn't really a concert: it's more like going to the cast party for the Proms season.

I have to confess that an event like this is not within my normal musical radar. My music reviewing and listening is predominantly serious classical, and most of it is for a specialist part of that wide repertoire. So it was a slightly brave, or foolhardy, idea to offer to review one of these musical spectaculars at my local castle.