German musicians at the BBC Proms
When other capitals close down for summer, London comes to an annual peak for classical music lovers during the BBC Proms. Every year, some of the world’s most renowned musicians serenade the audience at Royal Albert Hall. The eight weeks of daily concerts culminate in the Last Night of the Proms, which is screened life into Hyde Park. Among the numerous German stars taking centre stage in 2019 are Isabelle Faust, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and Hans Zimmer.
Prom 2: Bohemian Rhapsody
20 July, 7.30 pm | Royal Albert Hall
The Bamberg Symphony Orchestra returns under Jakub Hrůša with two popular masterpieces from the Czech conductor’s homeland: Dvořák’s Violin Concerto and Smetana’s symphonic suite Má vlast (‘My Country’).
Prom 3: CBeebies: A Musical Trip to the Moon
21 July, 11 am | Royal Albert Hall
With this brand-new work by Hans Zimmer — film music’s living legend — take a musical trip to the Moon with favourite CBeebies characters and presenters. This is the centrepiece of a Prom celebrating the 50th anniversary of the manned Moon landing.
Prom 8: Invitation to the Dance
24 July, 7.30 pm | Royal Albert Hall
Award-winning German violinist Isabelle Faust joins Peter Eötvös as soloist for his new violin concerto Alhambra. Dance — whether in the exotic pulse of Bartók’s Dance Suite, the insistent Russian folk rhythms of Stravinsky’s The Firebird or the languorous ballet of Debussy’s faun — runs right through tonight’s Prom.
Prom 9: Strauss, Brahms & Bostrom
25 July, 7.00 pm | Royal Albert Hall
The mischievous escapades of the irrepressible Till Eulenspiegel — Germany’s beloved folk hero — introduce a concert that celebrates the dramatic power of the orchestra.
Markus Stenz conducts the BBC NOW in its first concert of the season, pairing Strauss’s tone-poem with Brahms’s turbulent Symphony №1.
Prom 27: The Sound of Space: Sci-Fi Film Music
7 August, 10.15 pm | Royal Albert Hall
A Late Night Prom with a futuristic spin brings together some of the best sci-fi film music. Excerpts from cult soundtracks come together with recent works by Hans Zimmer and Mica Levi.
Prom 33: Mahler, Schubert & Glanert
11 August, 8.00 pm | Royal Albert Hall
Highlighting Austro-German music, this Prom features orchestration from contemporary composer Detlev Glanert as well as works by Schubert and Mahler.
Prom 40: Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee
16 August, 7.30 pm | Royal Albert Hall
The Proms celebrates the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birth with a glimpse into the her musical life.
The programme features music by her favourite composer, Mendelssohn, including his lively ‘Scottish’ Symphony and First Piano Concerto, which will be performed by Stephen Hough on Victoria’s own piano, loaned by HM The Queen from the Royal Collection.
The concert also includes a suite from Arthur Sullivan’s ballet Victoria and Merrie England, composed to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, as well as songs by Prince Albert.
Prom 43: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony
19 August, 7.30 pm | Royal Albert Hall
Pianist Andreas Haefliger performs both the world premiere of Dieter Ammann’s new Piano Concerto, and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony conducted by Sakari Oramo. This is paired with the world premiere of a new choral work by Jonathan Dove.
Prom 47: Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
23 August, 7:30 pm | Royal Albert Hall
The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra returns to the Proms for the first time under new Music Director Andris Nelsons.
Michael Schönheit presents the meticulous detail of Bach in a series of solo organ works, followed by Bruckner’s Symphony №8.
Prom 63: Yuja Wang plays Rachmaninov
5 September, 7:30 pm | Royal Albert Hall
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung, Staatskapelle Dresden is joined by soloist Yuja Wang in Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto and Brahms’s genial Symphony №2.
Prom 65: Mozart, Beethoven & R. Strauss
7 September, 7:30pm | Royal Albert Hall
Dance and song run through this concert by Constantinos Carydis and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. Arias by Mozart and Strauss are followed by Beethoven’s Symphony №7.
Prom 74: Beethoven Night
13 September, 7:30 pm | Royal Albert Hall
Beethoven’s revolutionary Fifth Symphony provides the climax of a concert by Andrew Manze and the NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover that also includes music from Beethoven’s Fidelio and works by the composer’s musical forebears Bach and Handel.
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