On Sunday 3 June, the Thames will fill with over 1,000 boats travelling from Albert Bridge to Tower Bridge as part of a pageant flotilla celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The London Philharmonic Orchestra’s boat, “Symphony”, will take prime position as the final official vessel following the Royal Barge in its procession downstream. On board, David Parry will conduct the LPO in popular works by great British and Commonwealth composers, either related to traditional royal ceremony or associated with familiar landmarks along the Thames, all relayed live to the crowds of spectators on the riverbanks and bridges. In a diverse programme, the conventional patriotic works such as Walton’s Orb and Sceptre and Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance are joined by, among others, the James Bond theme (performed whilst passing the MI6 building), as well as Walton’s incidental music for Henry V as “Symphony” draws near the Globe theatre. More than a commemoration of the Queen’s reign of 60 years, this unique performance also celebrates the River Thames itself as the vibrant heart of the capital, and will be covered live on BBC television.
The Jubilee pageant programme has been recorded by David Parry and the LPO and is available as the official CD of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.
Listen to an excerpt David Parry and the LPO performing Walton’s Orb and Sceptre, the opening piece in the pageant programme.
Find out more about the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant here.
