Hi, I'm Rick Steves.
In an hour, this beautiful symphony hall will be filled with people.
This is where Boston Pops plays.
And I get to share beautiful images on that screen with this great orchestra, dropping
down on seven different countries around Europe emceeing — or tour guiding — the Symphonic
Journey.
And I am dressed up like you'll probably never see again.
We had a great concert last night.
The place was full.
And seven times, I go into my little room, right here.
And then I come out, and I go, "Now, let's go to the Czech Republic.
Now, let's go to Germany.
Now, let's go to Austria," and this beautiful orchestra plays.
We're celebrating travel.
We're celebrating history.
And we're celebrating good guiding, so we know the context of this music and get more
out of it.
Happy travels from Boston.
And join me now for one of my favorite moments in Boston, set against the backdrop of Edward
Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance.
I got to perform with the great conductor Jacomo Bairos, born in Portugal.
We shared seven stirring anthems from the Romantic era — and for each one, I got to
be the audience’s tour guide.
Together, we took a journey through Europe — and like any good guide, I provided historical
and cultural context for each stop along the way.
It was a thrill to dress up and gather together with music lovers and travelers in Boston
with the beautiful symphony known as the Boston Pops.
It was really fun for me to be able to share the evening with some special guests.
My little sister Linda traveled from Rhode Island with her family to see the show, and
we were joined by friends from American Public Television, who make sure that our show is
aired all over the United States of America.
And of course, it was fun to meet orchestra members who had gathered their books for autographs,
and from beginning to end, it was a beautiful experience.
Nine times, I was ready to burst out of my little tent onto the stage and share my take
on this slice of musical and historical European culture.
OK, it’s time for England, and this piece captures the grandeur of Europe’s first
superpower.
At the end of the 19th century, Queen Victoria rules a quarter of the planet.
Her realm was famously the “empire upon which the sun never set.”
It was humming with new-fangled inventions from the Industrial Age, and with a prosperous
and educated middle class, Britain was really on a roll.
Now, this next piece, Pomp and Circumstance by Sir Edward Elgar, seemed to provide a fitting
soundtrack for the British confidence at the start of the 20th century.
Today, we Americans know this piece because we use it a lot at graduation ceremonies to
celebrate educational triumphs.
But if you happen to be ruling a vast empire, or bush-whacking a brave new future for the
common man, this piece works well for other times, as well.
So now, chin up!
It’s time for Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance.