The BBC Proms are a great way to discover new music. Aside from the London, UK and European premieres of works, the BBC itself commissions and co-commisions new pieces especially for the Proms. Here are some to listen out for this year…
Hans Zimmer Earth
The Hollywood legend has been commissioned as part of the BBC’s Ten Pieces initiative and his effort, premiering at the CBeebies Prom, imagines how our planet appears as seen from the Moon.
Where and when can you hear it?
Live: CBeebies Prom – Sunday 21 and Monday 22 July, 11am Broadcast: Radio 3 (live), CBeebies channel (date tbc)
Outi Tarkiainen Midnight Sun Variations
The Finnish composer’s work is a celebration of rebirth in the perpetual day of an Arctic summer.
Where and when can you hear it?
Live: Prom 22 – Sunday 4 August, 7.30pm Broadcast: Radio 3 (live), BBC Four (same night)
Huw Watkins The Moon
The British composer marks the fiftieth anniversary of the first manned mission to the Moon with this new 20-minute work.
Where and when can you hear it?
Live: Prom 28 – Thursday 8 August, 7pm Broadcast: Radio 3 (live)
Various Composers Pictured Within: Birthday Variations for M.C.B.
Inspired by Elgar’s Enigma Variations, 14 living composers have been commissioned for this 60thbirthday tribute to conductor Martyn Brabbins. Composers include Sally Beamish, Harrison Birtwistle, Richard Blackford, Judith Weir and Gavin Bryars.
Where and when can you hear it?
Live: Prom 35 – Thursday 13 August, 7pm Broadcast: Radio 3 (live), BBC Four (Sunday 8 September)
Errollyn Wallen This Frame Is Part of the Painting
Errollyn’s new work is an homage to the British abstract painter Howard Hodgkin, who died in 2017.
Where and when can you hear it?
Live: Prom 39 – Thursday 15 August, 7pm Broadcast: Radio 3 (live), BBC Four (Sunday 8 September)
Jonny Greenwood Horror vacui – for solo violin and 68 strings
The talented film composer and Radiohead frontman takes the characteristics of electronically-created music and transfers them into the acoustic arena for this Late Night Prom, curated by him.
Where and when can you hear it?
Live: Prom 70/Late Night Prom – Tuesday 10 September, 10.15pm Broadcast: Radio 3 (live), BBC Four (Friday 13 September)
And the rest…
Earthward by Alexia Sloane
Long is the Journey – Short is the Memory by Zosha Di Castri
Nigredo – Dark Night of the Soul by Tobias Broström
At This Man’s Hand by Joanna Lee
The Only One by Louis Andriessen
Red Fox by Alissa Firsova and Robert Macfarlane
Woke by Daniel Kidane
Plus piano concertos by Peter Eötvös, Ryan Wigglesworth and Dieter Ammann, and as-yet-untitled works by Freya Waley-Cohen, Jonathan Dove, Dobrinka Tabakova and Linda Catlin Smith.
For more details of this year's BBC Proms programme visit the bbc.co.uk/proms
