Also worth mentioning, Susanne, that this year's programme included Barber's Adagio for Strings. Slatkin had the stick at this year's last night because he has been appointed as chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, which carries the main burden of the proms season (though some of the world's other leading orchestras also take part).

There had been much curiosity about how a "foreigner" would cope with the flag-waving patpriotism of the last night. (I think the mood has got a lot sillier since a French citizen, Pierre Boulez, had the job.) Because of September 11, the old mood was ditched, I hope never to return.

Much has been invested in the acoustics of the Royal Albert Hall, but the building can still swallow decibels on a phenomenal scale. It must te only place on earth, apart from open arenas like Santa Fe and Verona, where the Belioz Requiem or Schoenberg's Gurrelieder don't sound over loud.

For more about the Proms, which must be the biggest festival of serious music in the world, try the BBC's vast site - specifically this bit.