Starry night lends finishing touch to Battle Proms delight

It was chilly. But it kept dry. And, coming after a wet and miserable day that was all that Sunday's crowd needed to ensure their enjoyment.

To complete the happiness of regular attenders at Battle Proms, Jae Alexander was back with the baton.

"Welcome to Jae Alexander, camp classics for the masses!" as tenor Wynne Evans said of his fellow Welshman.

Sunday's crowd roared their approval.

Jae is the epitome of the proms '“ good music combined with fun, relaxation and a sense of occasion.

Together with soprano Janet Mooney, the English National Orchestra, Charlie Brown and his exuberant display with his 1942 Mark V Spitfire, fireworks (both musical and literal) and the setting on the Senlac battlefield, all the ingredients were combined for yet another highly-enjoyable Battle Proms.

Only the sound system marred an otherwise memorable occasion.

It sounded tinny and it lacked volume.

Normally, the system can be relied on to fill the Battle of Hastings hillside with rich sound. But while the soloists were heard to good effect, much of Jae's witticisms from the rostrum were scarcely audible and even Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture lacked depth and substance.

It also lacked the customary cannon...

However, there was still much to enjoy, even if as the evening progressed one had to strain to hear the quieter passages as some of the post-picnic revellers allowed the number of bottles in their hampers to outweigh their neighbourly judgement.

The evening began with the overture to Rossini's Thieving Magpie.

Charlie Brown's Spitfire swooped from the sky to loop and roll evocatively through Ron Goodwin's Battle Of Britain theme, Eric Coates' Calling All Workers and his Dambusters theme.

A mood change and Janet Mooney delighted with a selection from My Fair Lady before Aaron Copland's Hoe Down got the first of the dancers on their feet.

Wynne Evans was in fine voice for a fantasia of Neopolitan songs.

Wagner doesn't often feature on the Battle Proms programme and Lohengrin was a welcome offering.

The dancers were prancing on the steep, grassy slope for Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty Waltz before Janet and Wynne brought the first half to a close with the duet from La Traviata.

Film themes ranged from Indiana Jones to James Bond and Janet was back with West Side Story before the second half launched into the sequence without which no Proms at Battle would be complete.

The crowd sang along with Wynne in Nessun Dorma, clapped themselves silly attempting to keep up with Jay's blurred baton through Arne's Sea Songs and were in full voice for Jerusalem, Rule Britannia and Land Of Hope And Glory.

Candles dotting the natural amphitheatre complemented the starry night sky as a sea of Union Flags rose and fell.

The Abbey's ancient stone walls echoed the booms as thundering fireworks brought Battle Proms 2008 to a triumphant close.

Time for the tireless Jae Alexander to mop his brow for the umpteenth time, shed the last of a succession of exotic and flamboyant costumes and relax.

Well done, Jae. Welcome back. We missed you.