Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace was the perfect setting for last weekend's Battle Proms, a picnic proms that mixes music with Spitfires, cannons, cavalry and fireworks

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   1. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

   Battle Proms is an unique event, where music, military history and fireworks come together to make a truly memorable evening.

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   2. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

   Reenactment group Crown and Empire took spectators back to the 18th century with a Napoleonic Cavalry.

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   3. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

   Crown and Empire get ready to put on a choreographed musical ride in the Blenheim Palace parkland to Franz Von Suppé Light Cavalry Overture.

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   4. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

   Crown and Empire demonstrated battlefield skill-at-arms with lances, rifles and superb horsemanship with their historically accurate reenactments.

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   5. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

   Fifties singing group the Rockabellas got the crowd warmed-up despite the chilly conditions.

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   6. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

   The Rockabellas kept the crowd happy even off stage.

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   7. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

   Who needs sun when brollies can look this good?

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   8. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

   The programme was rich in stirring pieces, kicking off with Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No 5 in C Major.

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    9. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

    Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture for Orchestra Op. 49 accompanied by life cannon fire ended the first half.

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    10. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

    Fittingly Beethoven's Wellington’s Victory Battle Symphony, or The Battle of Vittoria, Op. 91 was one of the programme's highlights and was accompanied by 193 cannons, musketfire and fireworks!

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    11. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

    Jerusalem and Rule Britannia continued the patriotic feel with the traditional sing-along, flag-waving proms finale.

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    12. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

    A piper entertains the crowd in the 2100 acres of Blenheim Palace's formal gardens.

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    13. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

    The gunners of the English Field Artillery Company started the evening’s musical programme with a volley of shots from an authentic vintage field gun in honour of the Diamond Jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

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    14. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

    Not to be outdone by cannon fire, the New English Concert Orchestra gave a stunning performance on the night.

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    15. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

    The mud and rain didn't stop concert-goers enjoying lavish picnics.

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    16. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

    And for those you forgot the hamper, there was plenty of tasty food on offer.

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    17. Battle Proms at Blenheim Palace

    Rain, what rain!

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