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Classical Music

The Best BBC Proms 2019: the top artists and works

By Claudia Pritchard on 17/4/2019

Catch Sheku Kanneh-Mason, witness a world-class orchestral debut, hear the EU anthem in Beethoven's Choral Symphony – and see Queen Victoria's piano on tour.

West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

Always among the first Proms to sell out. Daniel Barenboim and his gifted cross-cultural musicians are joined by the great Martha Argerich (pictured) in Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No 1. Also, Schubert's lovely 'Unfinished' Symphony and Lutosławski’s showpiece, Concerto for Orchestra.

WHEN

Mon 12 Aug, 7:30PM

WHERE

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington SW7 2AP

Elgar's Enigma Variations

Catch 14 world premieres on one night. British classical music royalty have each written a piece to complement one of Elgar's much-loved Enigma Variations, and both the originals and the new works are played to mark conductor Martyn Brabbins's 60th birthday. Featuring Sally Beamish, Colin Matthews, Gavin Bryars, Judith Weir and others. Nadine Benjamin (pictured) sings Brahms.

WHEN

Tues 13 Aug, 7PM

WHERE

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington SW7 2AP

Queen Victoria's birthday concert

This year's must-hear Prom. On Queen Victoria's own piano, loaned from Buckingham Palace, Prommers' favourite Stephen Hough (pictured) plays Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No 1. Also on the programme, charming songs by Prince Albert, and Mendelssohn's 'Scottish' Symphony.

WHEN

Fri 16 Aug, 7:30PM

WHERE

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington SW7 2AP

Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No 1

All-Russian programme with the London Philharmonic Orchestra under its dynamic chief conductor Vladimir Jurowski (pictured) features works by Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov. Alexander Ghindin is the soloist in the virtuosic concerto.

WHEN

Sat 17 Aug, 7:30PM

WHERE

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington SW7 2AP

Beethoven's Symphony No 9

Always a big event, this performance of the composer's Choral symphony is sure to be highly charged with its Ode to Joy, anthem of the EU. Sakari Oramo (pictured) conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Western music’s most powerful statement of universal fellowship. Plus two world premieres, including the Piano Concerto by Dieter Ammann, with soloist Andreas Haefliger.

WHEN

Mon19 Aug, 7:30PM

WHERE

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington SW7 2AP

Elgar's Cello Concerto

Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, BBC Young Musician 2016, plays the benchmark work with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, which also marks the centenary of Mieczysław Weinberg with a rare performance of his folk-inspired Third Symphony. Speedy booking recommended.

WHEN

Thurs 22 Aug, 7:30PM

WHERE

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington SW7 2AP

Shanghai Symphony Orchestra

Proms debut by China’s premier orchestra under Long Yu includes music by Qigang Chen and Rachmaninov’s exhilarating Symphonic Dances. Leeds Piano Competition winner Eric Lu (pictured) joins them for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23.

WHEN

Sun 1 Sept, 11AM

WHERE

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington SW7 2AP

Haitink and the Vienna Phil

In one of the Proms starriest nights, Bernard Haitink (pictured), 90 this year, conducts the first of the Vienna Philharmonic’s two concerts this season, with the outstanding Murray Perahia as the soloist in Beethoven’s radical Piano Concerto No 4. Plus Bruckner’s Symphony No 7. Sure to sell out quickly.

WHEN

Tues 3 Sept, 7:30PM

WHERE

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington SW7 2AP

The Best BBC Proms 2019: the top artists and works

Catch Sheku Kanneh-Mason, witness a world-class orchestral debut, hear the EU anthem in Beethoven's Choral Symphony – and see Queen Victoria's piano on tour.

West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

Elgar's Enigma Variations

Queen Victoria's birthday concert

Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No 1

Beethoven's Symphony No 9

Elgar's Cello Concerto

Shanghai Symphony Orchestra

Haitink and the Vienna Phil

BBC Proms

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Stephen Hough

Eric Lu

Bernard Haitink

Sheku Kanneh-Mason

Classical Season 2019/20, Southbank Centre

Sound Unbound, Barbican and Culture Mile

Barbican Classical Music 2019/20

The best new music: who to hear, and where

Glyndebourne Festival Opera 2019

José Carreras & Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Kenwood House