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Prom 54 (part 1): Britten, Raymond Yiu, Nielsen and Janacek

Episode 1 of 2

Edward Gardner conducts the 麻豆社 Symphony Orchestra in Britten's Sinfonia da Requiem and the world premiere of Raymond Yiu's Symphony, featuring Andrew Watts (countertenor).

麻豆社 Symphony Orchestra conducted by Edward Gardner, live at the 麻豆社 Proms. Britten, Janacek, Nielsen's Flute Concerto with Emily Beynon and a world premiere - Raymond Yiu's Symphony.

Live from the Royal Albert Hall, London
Presented by Tom Service

Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem
Raymond Yiu: Symphony (麻豆社 commission: world premiere)

8.25 pm INTERVAL

8.45 pm
Nielsen: Flute Concerto
Jan谩cek: Sinfonietta

Andrew Watts (countertenor)
Emily Beynon (flute)
麻豆社 Symphony Orchestra
Edward Gardner (conductor)

Proms regular Edward Gardner continues this year's Nielsen anniversary celebrations with the Flute Concerto - a work that expresses what Nielsen perceived as the instrument's 'Arcadian' quality. This gentle, pastoral quality battles, however, with darker forces, characterfully symbolised by the bass trombone. Both Jan谩cek's Sinfonietta and Britten's Sinfonia da Requiem are also vivid expressions of contrast - in mood, texture and colour. The five movements of the Sinfonietta are all scored for a different - and sometimes unlikely - combination of instruments, while the three episodes in Britten's elegiac Sinfonia da Requiem paint different stages of mourning, from grief to anger and finally an uneasy acceptance. Raymond Yiu's 麻豆社 commission is a symphony which features the amazing countertenor voice of Andrew Watts, singing texts by Walt Whitman, Constantine Cavafy,Thom Gunn and John Donne on memories of love and loss.

This Prom will be repeated on Thursday 10th September at 2pm.

55 minutes

Last on

Tue 25 Aug 2015 19:30

Music Played

  • Benjamin Britten

    Sinfonia da requiem Op.20

  • Raymond Yiu

    Symphony

Credit

Role Contributor
Performer 麻豆社 Symphony Orchestra

Broadcast

  • Tue 25 Aug 2015 19:30

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