Horrible Histories TV | HH Big Prom Party

The Horrible Histories Big Prom Party

As the 2011 BBC Proms annual children's entry, Horrible Histories joined forces with the Aurora Orchestra and their conductor Nick Collon for a romp through the story of classical music. Everyone from Stone Age Man to Queen Victoria descended upon the Royal Albert Hall for this very special concert featuring Horrible Histories songs alongside some orchestral pieces. Comedy and classical music combine in an hour of songs, silliness and surprises. This free family Prom took place on Saturday 30th July 2011.

Louise Fryer and Rattus Rattus presented the concert for BBC Radio 3. The 65-minute televised version aired the following September, edited to highlight the songs and specially-shot linking sketches set in and around the concert hall, including ones with Rattus Rattus explaining historical links to certain pieces.

Setlist

PART 1

"Sunrise (Fanfare)" from Also sprach Zarathustra - Richard Strauss
"Horrible Histories Theme Tune"
HHTV News: Bob Hale presents the Orchestra Report
"The 4 Georges: Born 2 Rule" (S01E01)
Interlude: George II discusses the role of the conductor with Nicholas Collon
Danse macabre (excerpt) - Camille Saint-Saëns
Interlude: A peasant couple offer the latest "scientific" cures for the Black Death
"The Plague Song" (S01E10)
Interlude: Life under the feudal system
"The Truth About Richard III" (S03E06)
"The Death of Tybalt" from Romeo and Juliet - Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev
Fantasia on Greensleeves (excerpt) - Ralph Vaughan Williams
Interlude: Henry VIII discusses his marital history
"Divorced Be-headed & Died" (S01E02)
"March to the Scaffold" from Symphonie fantastique - Hector Berlioz
"Charles II: King of Bling" (S02E02)
"La réjouissance" from Music for the Royal Fireworks -George Frederic Handel

PART 2

Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs - Jean-Baptiste Lully
Stupid Deaths: Jean-Baptiste Lully
Interlude: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig von Beethoven argue over who most deserves the title of Greatest Composer Who Ever Lived
Overture from The Marriage of Figaro - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Interlude: George IV discusses his tumultuous political and marital history
"George IV: Couldn't Stand My Wife" (S02E05)
"Wedding March" from A Midsummer Night’s Dream (excerpt) - Felix Mendelssohn
Interlude: Queen Victoria cannot perform; Cleopatra steps in at the last minute
"Ra Ra Cleopatra" (S03E05)
"The Ages of Stone" (S03E10)
"Sacrificial Dance” from The Rite of Spring - Igor Stravinsky
Interlude: A (musical) band of Viking warriors invade the hall and head for the stage
"Ride of the Valkyries" from Die Walküre - Richard Wagner
"Literally" (S02E01)