Royal Air Force, Salute D Day 70th Anniversary

Camille Saint-Saëns was involved in every aspect of French music during his long lifetime, and his frequent travels led to a fascinating mixture of Western music with Moorish and African elements in works such as Orient et Occident and the Suite algérienne.

Camille Saint-Saëns was involved in every aspect of French music during his long lifetime, and his frequent travels led to a fascinating mixture of Western music with Moorish and African elements in works such as Orient et Occident and the Suite algérienne. Saint-Saëns wrote few works for winds, but the grand biblical themes of Samson et Dalila, patriotic military traditions and the dignity of a British coronation all lend themselves perfectly to arrangement. In The Carnival of the Animals, the roaring lions are superbly evocative; while his perspectives on English and Scottish dances in ballet movements from Henry VIII are brilliantly imaginative.

Sophie Raworth presents live coverage of events to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force. Her Majesty The Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, dignitaries and veterans gather at Westminster Abbey for a service to celebrate 100 years of aviation and endeavour. Events continue on The Mall and at Buckingham Palace, where over a thousand servicemen and women from across the RAF take part in a magnificent parade. A spectacular flypast ends the celebrations to wish the RAF a very special happy birthday.