Diamond Jubilee celebrations: June 2012

The London Philharmonic Orchestra is proud to be taking part in Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on 3 June 2012 on board the Symphony, as one of ten music herald barges of the flotilla. As we move down the river, we will be performing a selection of popular works by great British and Commonwealth composers, related either to monarchy, royal events and ceremonial occasions or to familiar landmarks along the Thames. These include Chariots of Fire theme, James Bond theme, Jupiter from Holst's The Planets, Land of Hope and Glory (Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No 1), ‘Nimrod’ from Enigma Variations. The day culminates in a performance of the National Anthem to Her Majesty the Queen at Tower Bridge. We've recorded this repertoire and have released the official Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant CD to commemorate the celebrations. In this edition of our monthly podcast, music writer Andrew Stewart delves into the history of some of the works we'll be performing, bringing their links to London to the fore. He starts with a quick look at the history of pageants before exploring Elgar's Nimrod, Pomp and Circumstance March, Coates' Dambusters March and Arnold's Padstow Lifeboat, as well as music written for film.