The History of The Proms Evening Standard Edition

A NEW SOUND STIRS LONDON, as audiences at Queen’s Hall hear Arnold Schoenberg’s radical Five Orchestral Pieces, Op. 16, conducted by Sir Henry Wood during the Promenade Concerts. Schoenberg’s unprecedented musical language challenges established ideas of harmony, melody and orchestral expression, bringing a striking new form of musical modernism to British audiences.

Follow the history of The Proms with a book of authentic Evening Standard newspaper articles, curated by Historic Newspapers. This edition documents key milestones exploring The Proms growth to international fame and prestige — exactly as they were reported at the time. Relive key moments, including.


– Henry Wood’s tenure as leader of the original Proms
– London audiences' first exposure to Arnold Schoenberg's radical new music
– The move to the Royal Albert Hall in WWII after the original venue was bombed
– The first live broadcasts on television and radio
– Unusual happenings, such as an ailing soloist being replaced by an audience member in 1974
– The introduction of Proms in the Park
– The Proms survival through the COVID-19 Pandemic
– Many of the most significant conductors, performers and composers from over a century
and more … 

Choose from a range of book covers and personalise your copy with a name and message to create a unique keepsake. Whether for a classical music enthusiast, a music historian, or someone who remembers it all first-hand — you hold not just a gift, but a piece of Proms history ready to be passed on.

Archivist insight: We reproduce these newspaper articles from scan archives. In some cases, there’ll be blemishes and the reproduction quality might not be as clear or precise as it was in the original paper.