The Proms began in 1895 : in 1901 Elgar 's newly composed ‘ Pomp and Circumstance ’ March No. 1 was introduced as an orchestral piece ( a year before the words were written ) , conducted by Henry Wood who later recollected " little did I think then that the lovely broad melody of the trio would one day develop into our second national anthem " . It was played as " Land of Hope and Glory " in the last concert of the 1905 proms , and at the first and last concerts of the 1909 Proms , which also featured Wood 's " Fantasia on British Sea Songs " . The two pieces were played one after another at the closing concerts in 1916 , 1917 and 1918 . From 1927 , the BBC began supporting the Proms , with radio broadcasts bringing the music to an increasingly wide audience . " Land of Hope and Glory " featured in the final concerts for 1928 , 1929 , 1936 and 1939 . By then , audience participation in the second half of the programme had become a ritual , and from 1947 a boisterous " tradition " was created by the conductor Malcolm Sargent , making " Land of Hope and Glory " part of a standard programme for the event . The " Last Night of the Proms " was broadcast annually on television from 1953 onwards , and Promenaders began dressing up outrageously and waving flags and banners during the climax of the evening . In some years " Land of Hope and Glory " and the other favourites were left out of the programme , but reinstated after press and public outrage . In an exception , for the 2001 Last Night concert following the September 11 attacks , the conductor Leonard Slatkin substituted a more serious programme , featuring Samuel Barber 's " Adagio for Strings " , but despite the success of this occasion , the now traditional pieces returned the following year
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Land of Hope and Glory