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Singing patriotic songs is a tradition in Great Britain at the "Last Night of the Proms" concerts
Photo: Rob Ball / Redferns via Getty Images
The traditional London summer concert series ends with the singing of patriotic popular songs.
The tradition at the "Last Night of the Proms" came under fire from the Black Lives Matter protests, however Orchestral version without wanting to play vocals.
Now, however, the songs should be sung - by some selected choir singers, as the broadcaster reported.
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests and bitter debates about Britain's colonial past, there had been a heated dispute over the song lyrics.
In "Rule, Britannia" from 1740 it says among other things: "Rule Britannia .... British will never be slaves."
Prime Minister Boris Johnson criticized the fact that the BBC then wanted to play the songs without singing as "self-discrimination".
Many Britons, however, have long been embarrassed by the longing for imperial grandeur, with which conservatives sing the songs.
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Because of the corona pandemic, the final concerts will take place on September 12th in the Royal Albert Hall without an audience - for viewers they can only be experienced on the radio.
"The lyrics are sung in the hall, the audience can - as we have always emphasized - like to sing along from home," said a BBC spokesman.
That the BBC is now letting the songs sing became known one day after the new BBC boss Tim Davie took office.
According to the British news agency PA, Davie had stressed that the station urgently needed reform.
The core discussion about the songs has been going on for years.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, "Rule, Britannia!"
already kicked out of the program.
The American conductor Leonard Slatkin had the patriotic finale shortened significantly from 2002 to 2007 and only played the song.
Since 2008 it has been back in the full version in the program.
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evh / dpa