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By now the B BC's Symphony Orchestra had become the principal orchestra of the Proms, under its conductor Sir Adrian Boult, with Wood continuing to take part until his death.

After Boult's retirement the BBC Symphony Orchestra was taken over by Sir Malcolm Sargent who, with his elegance and charm quickly became the "darling" of the promenaders. Other BBC Orchestras were brought in to spread the burden of the nightly concerts. Gradually the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts evolved into the BBC Proms.

With its resources and public service remit, the BBC continued to build on the artistic success of the Proms. Foreign Orchestras began to appear, and often had to suffer the ribald remarks of the Promenaders, and other more suitable venues began to be used around London for chamber works that would be lost in the vast areas of the Royal Albert Hall. Television also began to cover a greater number of Proms, the concerts often being seen throughout Europe. The BBC also appointed a Proms Director (or Proms Czar) each bringing his own ideas and

influence on the programmes, so that one now talks about "the Glock era" "the John Drummond days" of the seventies, and now Nicholas Kenyon has the task of steering the Proms, both for the current season and for the season to come.

For the Promenaders the great thing is the tradition that is handed down from year to year. Little groups of season ticket holders jealously guard "their" section of the brass rail, or their seats round the fountain... Where else but at the Proms could the audience shout "heave" when the piano lid is lifted. It started more than fifty years ago. The "ho" bit came later. On a more serious note, the promenaders continue to supply the BBC Symphony Orchestra with buttonholes on the Last Night, and make collections for Musicians' Charities, and remembering Sir Malcolm Sargent, for Cancer research.

This year the Prom season opens /opened on Friday 14th July and runs until Saturday 9th September when Mark Elder conducts the Last Night. Among those appearing will be the City of Birmingham S.O., the Berlin Philharmonic with Sir Simon Rattle, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the National Orchestra of France, and His Majesty's Sagbutts and Cornetts. There's special Prom for the Queen's birthday, A Blue Peter Safari Prom, and a staged performance of the Glyndebourne production of Cosi fan Tutte.

Go to the Proms if you can, there's nearly always room in the Arena, and comfortable seats are not exorbitant. If you can't get to South Kensington then why not promenade in your living room in the company of Radio3? Sir Henry Wood will be with you in spirit, so will several million others.

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