7.00pm – c. 9.15pm
Royal Albert Hall
Holst
Indra (12 mins)
Nishat Khan
The Gate of the Moon (Sitar Concerto No. 1) (40 mins)
BBC Commission, World Premiere
INTERVAL
Vaughan Williams
A London Symphony (Symphony No. 2) (45 mins)
Nishat Khan sitar
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Gustav Holst's fascination with Sanskrit literature found early expression in the 1903 tone-poem Indra, composed before the first set of his Hymns from the Rig Veda (heard on Radio 3 in Proms Chamber Music No 5, Monday 12 August 13:00). Sitar virtuoso Nishat Khan is a proms verteran, having first played as a soloist in 1989. This is the first time one of his own compositions has appeard at the Proms. Writing his concerto is a dream come true: "I have a huge love and respect for the Western classical tradition, and it's a daunting challenge to find a way of combining the sitar with this beautiful, gigantic orchestral sound". He's taken a minimalist approach, with the soloist partly playing composed lines and partly improvising; somtimes the forces meet in dialogue, sometimes embarking upon rhythmic exploration together, with a lot of interaction. He won't be using other indian instruments, though, rather exploiting the sounds of the orchestra. "I think of Western classical music as a huge ocean with so many different fish, plants and temperatures. Among the elements, he particularly loves the sound of the cello and the oboe, which he says combines beautifully with the sitar, bringing a "piercing nostalgia".
First performed in 1914, Vaughan Williams's A London Symphony evokes the chimes of Westminster, a chill November in Bloomsbury and the bright lights of the Strand in a city that would soon be scarred by war.
David Atherton conductor
Royal Albert Hall
Holst
Indra (12 mins)
Nishat Khan
The Gate of the Moon (Sitar Concerto No. 1) (40 mins)
BBC Commission, World Premiere
INTERVAL
Vaughan Williams
A London Symphony (Symphony No. 2) (45 mins)
Nishat Khan sitar
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Gustav Holst's fascination with Sanskrit literature found early expression in the 1903 tone-poem Indra, composed before the first set of his Hymns from the Rig Veda (heard on Radio 3 in Proms Chamber Music No 5, Monday 12 August 13:00). Sitar virtuoso Nishat Khan is a proms verteran, having first played as a soloist in 1989. This is the first time one of his own compositions has appeard at the Proms. Writing his concerto is a dream come true: "I have a huge love and respect for the Western classical tradition, and it's a daunting challenge to find a way of combining the sitar with this beautiful, gigantic orchestral sound". He's taken a minimalist approach, with the soloist partly playing composed lines and partly improvising; somtimes the forces meet in dialogue, sometimes embarking upon rhythmic exploration together, with a lot of interaction. He won't be using other indian instruments, though, rather exploiting the sounds of the orchestra. "I think of Western classical music as a huge ocean with so many different fish, plants and temperatures. Among the elements, he particularly loves the sound of the cello and the oboe, which he says combines beautifully with the sitar, bringing a "piercing nostalgia".
First performed in 1914, Vaughan Williams's A London Symphony evokes the chimes of Westminster, a chill November in Bloomsbury and the bright lights of the Strand in a city that would soon be scarred by war.
David Atherton conductor
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