An estimated 220,000 people across the Scottish capital enjoyed the explosive finale to this year's Edinburgh International Festival and the summer festival season last night, the BoS Festival Fireworks Concert.
Tram works on Princes Street meant that many couldn't get as close as they wanted to the centrepoint of the show, Edinburgh Castle, but new vantage points were introduced and local radio stations Forth One and Forth 2 broadcast the concert live on the night, as in previous years.
Fireworks Concert 2009 Programme
Matthew Halls led the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus in a performance of some of Handel's most popular works. The powerful choruses of Zadok the Priest (also known across the world as the theme music to the UEFA Champions League) saw huge eruptions of fireworks soaring up to 600 feet in the air.
Excerpts from Music for the Royal Fireworks began with traditional crowd favourite The Waterfall cascading down the sides of Edinburgh's imposing Castle, followed by columns of vivid green firework stars rising upwards through the night. The display continued with sequences of Roman Candles in bursts of silver and gold interspersed with pastel colours, including a new vibrant lemon pink.
Following was wedding favourite The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba from the oratorio Solomon. Expanses of vibrantly coloured fireworks reflected the excitement of the Queen's arrival at court described by the music. The sky bubbled with multi-coloured sequences, mixing reds, greens, purples and golds, of a type rarely seen at the concert over the years.
The concert climaxed with one of Handel's most famous works, the Hallelujah Chorus, from the oratorio Messiah, performed by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus as rapid sequences of gold and silver fireworks spiraled above the Castle to the delight of the watching audience.
Big bangs
The largest annual fireworks concert choreographed to live music in Europe this year celebrated fourteen years of the Bank of Scotland's support.
Over 100,000 fireworks weighing a total of 4 tonnes lit up Edinburgh's skies in an intricate show which had onlookers cheering. The man behind the spectacle was Keith Webb of Pyrovision, who worked together with a team of 15 pyrotechnicians.
Adding to the experience for the audience in Princes Street Gardens, two large screens carried live close up footage of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus performing in the Ross Theatre.
Those who enjoyed the concert from the Bank of Scotland Family Viewing Area at Inverleith Park were also able to enjoy watching the live relay of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra performing on a large screen. New for 2009 was a live sound relay of the Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert to Calton Hill and Waverley Bridge.
Jonathan Mills, Festival Director, Edinburgh International Festival called the event "a masterful mix of choreographed fireworks and uplifting music performed with consummate skill by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus."
Roy McEwan, Managing Director, Scottish Chamber Orchestra thought the choice of music particularly appropriate this year.
"Setting Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks to this spectacular pyrotechnics display was a particularly fitting tribute to the composer in the 250th anniversary of his death - I'm sure he would have approved of the performance!"