Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Part 1 | 20090813 | From the Royal Albert Hall, London. Presented by Christopher Cook. The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under chief conductor Ilan Volkov perform works spanning almost a century. Begun as a homage to the Viennese waltz but twisted by his wartime experiences into a darker vision of a society whirling to disaster, Ravel's La valse was actually rejected by Diaghilev - who commissioned it - and only finally staged in the year of his death, choreographed by Nijinsky's sister Bronislava. Unsuk Chin's new Cello Concerto was written specially for Alban Gerhardt, an early member of Radio 3's New Generation Artists scheme. Alban Gerhardt (cello) Ilan Volkov (conductor) Ravel: La valse Unsuk Chin: Cello Concerto (BBC commission: world premiere). BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in Ravel: La valse and Unsuk Chin: Cello Concerto. |
| 02 | Part 2 | 20090813 | From the Royal Albert Hall, London. Christopher Cook presents the conclusion of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra's Prom, which features Stravinsky's seminal, Diaghilev-commissioned The Rite of Spring, a work with many pounding rhythms, cataclysmic upheavals and the savage scenario of a young girl dancing herself to death. Alban Gerhardt (cello) Ilan Volkov (conductor) Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring. BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Ilan Volkov perfom Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. |