BBC Proms - Season 53

First aired: 7/16/1999 12 episodes
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Episodes

1. The First Night of the Proms

Aired: 7/16/1999

Composer Michael Berkeley introduces live coverage - broadcast simultaneously with Radio 3 -of Michael Tippett 's The Mask of Time. This visionary and final statement ofTippett's, drawing together through words and music his opinions of mankind and man's place in the universe, is the opening concert of the BBC Prom season, performed at London's Royal Albert Hall.

2. BBC Proms 99

Aired: 8/13/1999

From London's Royal Albert Hall, Stephanie Hughes introduces the second of this year's live Proms, with young Finnish conductor Sakari Oramo - the man with the daunting task of replacing Simon Rattle - taking the baton in front of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. The evening's music opens with The Sea by Frank Bridge and continues with Sibelius's lyrical Violin Concerto, in which Sarah Chang is the soloist. The concert ends with Carl Nielsen's powerfully dramatic Symphony No 4, also known as The Inextinguishable.

3. Celebrity Proms with Michael Parkinson

Aired: 8/15/1999

First of four visits by celebrities to this year's BBC Proms at London's Royal Albert Hall. Tonight Michael Parkinson introduces one of his favourite pieces of classical music, The Planets by Gustav Holst, as well as Haydn's Representation of Chaos from The Creation. The music is performed by the Vasari Singers and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Davis.

4. BBC Proms 99

Aired: 8/18/1999

From London's Royal Albert Hall, Stephanie Hughes introduces music from this year's live Proms, with Bernard Haitink, music director of London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, taking the baton in front of the European Union Youth Orchestra. The evening involves a rendition of a single work, Mahler's challenging Symphony No 7, described as a poetic idea of nocturnal nature explored through various shades of darkness. Composed soon after the turn of the last century and scored for a massive orchestra, it is widely considered to be one of Mahler's masterpieces.

5. Celebrity Proms with James Galway

Aired: 8/24/1999

As part of his 60th birthday celebrations the cameras follow flautist James Galway backstage at London's Royal Albert Hall. He then introduces Mozart's Symphony No 40 in G minor, and performs with the London Mozart Players Mozart's Flute Concerto in D conducted by Matthias Bamert.

6. BBC Proms 99

Aired: 8/31/1999

From London's Royal Albert Hall. James Naughtie introduces the fourth of this year's live Prom broadcasts, in which Mark Elder conducts the BBC Philharmonic. The concert opens with Igor Stravinksy's Circus Polka, after which American soprano Dawn Upshaw gives the European premiere of Natural History, a new song cycle by British composer Judith Weir. This is followed by Frederick Delius's orchestral rhapsody Brigg Fair. The evening ends with Richard Strauss's Symphonia Domestica, part of this year's commemoration of the 50th anniversary of his death. During the interval (from 8.00-8.20), Elder and Naughtie explore the work of this enigmatic composer.

7. Celebrity Proms with Tom Conti

Aired: 8/31/1999

Actor Tom Conti introduces a recital from London's Royal Albert Hall by the young Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov, who performs Ravel's Tzigane, Rachmaninov's Vocalise, and Brahms' Scherzo in C minor and Hungarian Dances Nos 7, 2 and 5, accompanied by pianist Vag Papian.

8. Celebrity Proms with Anna Ford

Aired: 9/5/1999

In the last visit by celebrities to the BBC Proms at London's Royal Albert Hall, writer and broadcaster Anna Ford introduces highlights of last Thursday's concert commemorating the 150th, 100th and 50th anniversaries of the deaths of Johann Strauss father and son, and Richard Strauss. It's an evening of wine, women and song, with the mood set by waltzes and polkas, as well as Till Eulenspiegel. Soprano Inger Dam-Jensen joins the BBC Symphony Orchestra, which is conducted by Manfred Honeck.

9. BBC Proms 99

Aired: 9/6/1999

Live from London's Royal Albert Hall, music by Maurice Ravel and Ludwig van Beethoven, with Simon Rattle conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The first half features Ravel's Alborada del Gracioso, his Mother Goose Suite and La Valse. The second half is taken up by Beethoven's ever-popular Symphony No 6, the Pastoral, inspired by visions of an idyllic countryside. During the interval, presenter James Naughtie examines the contemporary issues behind the apparently simple proposition of a walk in the country.

10. The Last Night of the Proms

Aired: 9/11/1999

Stephanie Hughes hosts the traditional celebration live from London's Royal Albert Hall, with Andrew Davis conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Highlights include the overture to Nielsen's Opera Masquerade, arias with a devilish theme sung by Willard White, the UK premiere of Esa-Pekka Salonen's Giro and Poulenc's Organ Concerto, with soloist Gillian Weir. Then, from 8.35pm, there are visits to Proms in the Park concerts taking place in London's Hyde Park, where Terry Wogan is the compere, Birmingham and Swansea.

11. Last Night of the Proms

Aired: 9/11/1999

Stephanie Hughes introduces live coverage of the second half of tonight's concert from London's Royal Albert Hall. The BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Davis , performs Johann Strauss 's overture to Die Fledermaus followed by Willard White singing songs from the shows including OJ' Man R/Verfrom Show Boat and Some Enchanted Evening from South Pacific. The BBC Symphony Chorus and BBC Singers then join the orchestra in a performance of Vaughan Williams's stirring Toward the Unknown Region. A centenary tribute to Noël Coward by actor Jeremy Irons then leads into the traditional climax to the last night - Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No 1, Henry Wood 's Fantasia on British Sea Songs, followed by Arne's Rule, Britannia!, and then Parry's Jerusalem.

12. CBBC Proms in the Park

Aired: 10/2/1999

Katy Hill presents the live event, featuring S Club 7 and Charlotte Church.