Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo 2008 BBC Proms

More great Rachmaninoff at The Proms. On Part 1 of Prom 34 the BBC Philharmonic performs the Symphony No. 1.

Just finished listening to Prom 46 which took place earlier this evening in London. It consisted of a rarity in the concert hall, a complete performance(about 2 1/2 hours)of Tchaikovsky's wonderful music for The Sleeping Beauty. I have CD sets of two complete musical performances plus two complete performances of the ballet on DVD, and enjoyed this performance, by Valery Gergiev and the London Symphony, very much.

This past Tuesday was the 50th anniversary of Vaughan Williams' death, and in commemoration Prom 54 had Sir Andrew Davis conducting the BBC Symphony in a program of four of his fine works. Then, on Prom 55 in Part 2 following the 20 minute intermission his Lark Ascending, which is high on the Most Beautiful Music Ever Written lists was played, with the 2nd Suite from Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe adding more beauty to conclude the concert.

The New York Philharmonic with conductor Lorin Maazel was in London for Prom 58 and presented a concert of very colorful music: suites from Ravel's Ma mere l'oye and Bartok's The Miraculous Mandarin, with Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony on Part 2 following the intermission.

Earlier this evening on Part 1 of Prom 73 Vaughan Williams' Sinfonia Antartica, commemorating Scott's attempt to reach the South Pole, which proved fatal to all, was performed. On Part 3, following intermission programming, Holst's The Planets was played.