Tim Hughes dons his evening wear for four nights of music at the country's poshest festival

WITH die hard music fans packing up their wellies, cider and face glitter for the biggest weekend of the festival year, a more sedate fiesta of music will today get under way in the grand surroundings of Blenheim Palace.

The Nocturne festival, held in the Great Court of the Woodstock stately home is about as different to Glastonbury as it is possible to get. While Glasto has muddy fields, thousands of tents and scrumpy, Nocturne has landscaped gardens, English baroque architecture... and champagne.

And while the surroundings are rarefied, the line-up is also a classy affair, with a bill to rival anything Worthy Farm has to offer.

The show gets underway tonight with one of the world's greatest contemporary composers Ennio Morricone, continues with The Corrs tomorrow and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra playing the music from Bond on Saturday – before the festival's undisputed heavyweight, Elton John takes the stage on Sunday.

"This concert will give me the chance to thank the British audiences who have been so faithful to me over these many decades," says the Rocketman star.

“The simple truth is I want to spend more time with my family, and I am only too aware of just how precious the time ahead is. My sons are growing up so quickly; their early years are just flying by and I want to be there with them."

The multi-award-winning, pianist, singer and songwriter will play tunes from his five-decade career as well as music from his 33rd studio album Wonderful Crazy Night.

He adds: "I remember my first show in Oxford, towards the end of our 1972 tour of the UK with the great Linda Lewis on support, and am so glad to be playing my first show there in 10 years."

If Elton promises to create a party, Ennio Morricone's concert, tonight, will be a more atmospheric affair.

Over seven decades, the composer has written more than 500 film scores, including memorable scores for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in the West, The Thing, The Mission, The Untouchables, Cinema Paradiso and Frantic. The 87 year-old man of Rome also has some 100 classical works to his name.

His concert tonight will see him conducting a 200-strong orchestra and choir.

The soundtrack maestro, who won an Oscar earlier this year, for his score to Quentin Tarantino’s Hateful Eight, tells me he can't wait to come to Blenheim.

“I am not familiar with the palace but am eager to go,” he says. “It seems like one of those nice and wonderful buildings. I am very excited to go to Oxford, but when I am conducting, all I will be concerned about is the music – despite the wonderful surroundings."

He goes on: “I just want to work to convey my music to the audience.

“When I am on stage conducting I never think about how great I am or how much fun I have; all I have in mind is that I have done my best in composing and conducting – and worry about the potential reaction of the audience.

“It can be hard work composing, but conducting a live concert is more physically exhausting. My main concern when I am on stage in front of 200 musicians is that I have to convey this work to the audience. It’s exhausting – but I do my best to deliver a wonderful concert, and I hope the audience will enjoy it.”

Dundalk's finest – Andrea, Sharon, Caroline, and Jim Corr – headline tomorrow.

Jim tells us: “We are so excited to be playing at Blenheim. It is absolutely beautiful, and who wouldn’t be excited to play here?

“We’ve had this 10 year break and I think we are coming back as an even stronger band.

Oxford Mail:

“At the peak of our career it was just crazy and I think now we are able to appreciate it all a little bit more. We’re excited to be able to be back, visiting beautiful places like this and continuing to perform together.

“I think we all missed it.”

Saturday's show sees the acclaimed Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, under the direction of conductor Richard Balcombe, performing a selection of tunes from classic Bond films. The night will be presented by former Bond girl Fiona Fullerton, who appeared in A View To A Kill, and features guest vocalists Mary Carewe and Simon Bowman. 007 fans can expect the themes from Goldfinger, From Russia With Love, Live & Let Die, Licence to Kill, Skyfall and the acclaimed score from Spectre, scenes from which were filmed at Blenheim – something Glastonbury can only dream about.

* Noctune runs from tonight to Sunday at Blenheim Palace. For details and tickets go to nocturnelive.com