Prom 60: Lang Lang

Date Sunday 31 August 2008 


One of the few genuine classical superstars, as popular in the West as in his native China, Lang Lang attracts loyal audiences around the world with his high-octane pianism.

This family-friendly recital for the bank holiday weekend features some of the composers he has especially favoured during his career so far - and a duet performance with the 9-year-old pianist he has dubbed 'little Mozart', Marc Yu. 

- Mozart Piano Sonata No.13 in B flat major, K.333 (21 mins) 
- Rachmaninov Prelude in G minor, Op.23 No.5; Prelude in Bb Major, Op.23 No.2 (7 mins) 
- Chopin Grand Polonaise in E-flat major (9 mins) 
- Schubert Fantasia in F minor for piano duet, D940* (19 mins) 
- Debussy Preludes, Book 1 - La fille aux cheveux de lin; Les collines d'Anacapri (5 mins) 
- Traditional Chinese Autumn Moon on a Calm Lake; Spring Dance (7.5 mins) 
- Liszt transc. Horowitz Hungarian Rhapsody No.2, S.244 (8 mins).





Prom 62: Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester

Date Monday 1 September 2008 


A dynamic young soloist - born in Denmark to Polish-Israeli parents - joins tonight's great pan-European youth orchestra for Beethoven's only violin concerto.

Znaider views this work as the violinist's 'bible', its 'ultimate challenge' - and in his musical partners he can rely on the freshness of youth coupled with Sir Colin's wisdom and experience. Davis ends the concert with a work he understands like few of his colleagues, Sibelius's Second, first heard in 1902.

'The effect of the Andante,' wrote the great Finnish conductor Robert Kajanus,'is that of the most crushing protest against all the injustice which today threatens to take light from the sun.'

- Beethoven Violin Concerto in D major (45 mins) 
- Sibelius Symphony No.2 in D major (45 mins) 





Prom 71: Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Date Monday 8 September 2008 

 
A welcome return to the Proms of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, this time under its new Principal Conductor Bernard Haitink. 

Chicago Remains - by one of the CSO's Composers-in-Residence, Mark-Anthony Turnage - was inspired by the striking architecture of Chicago and the poetry of Carl Sandburg, but Turnage says he was also influenced by memories of the 1970s Bruckner recordings by Haitink (who gave the work's premiere last October). The title-page is inscribed to the memory of Sir John Drummond, a former Director of the BBC Proms and an early and loyal champion of Turnage's music. 

In the second half, Haitink conducts one of Mahler's greatest symphonies: a work of staggering power that seems to challenge Fate, but ultimately yields in the face of its overpowering force.

- Mark-Anthony Turnage Chicago Remains (European premiere) (c14 mins) 
- Mahler Symphony No.6 (85 mins)