A grand opening salute to the sea, the soul, and the sacred
A sparkling start to two months of classical music including Mendelssohn’s breezy postcard from the Scottish seas, Sibelius’ brooding and heroic Violin Concerto, new music from Errollyn Wallen, and a rarely performed choral gem from Vaughan Williams. To start, a birthday present from Arthur Bliss to Proms alumni Sir Henry Wood.
Arthur Bliss’ Birthday Fanfare for Sir Henry Wood
Mendelssohn’s Overture ‘The Hebrides’ (‘Fingal’s Cave’)
Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor
Errollyn Wallen The Elements
Vaughan Williams Sancta civitas
🔊 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002fkqv
Preview
The First Night is always special whether you’re in the Hall or listening or watching at home. For dedicatees, the Proms bookends the summer and, at launch, makes all manner of imaginary promises not unlike the prospect of an extended holiday break does.
So the opening night can sometimes be a double-edged sword. How we imagine it isn’t necessarily how we hear it. Hence why sometimes the exuberance from presenters can unexpectedly grate and the season promotion jar.
But this year feels a little different. The line up is sound with some crowd pleasers in the form of Mendelssohn and Sibelius, something unusual (Vaughan Williams’ choral work Sancta civitas), and some new music from Errollyn Wallen, Master of the Kings Music.
Wallen never disappoints, writing music that meets the needs of whatever audience she’s called upon to write for. A new work from Wallen is something to look forward to. She’s also loved and respected, this in no small part because she combines craft, wit, and humility. She also lives in a lighthouse.
“Wallen never disappoints, writing music that meets the needs of whatever audience she’s called upon to write for. She’s also loved and respected, this in no small part because she combines craft, wit, and humility. She also lives in a lighthouse. “
Soloist Lisa Batiashvili came to international attention with her performance of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in the 1995 International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition where she was the youngest ever competitor. Since then she’s performed numerous times, including one concert with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sakari Oramo, who conducts the First Night of the Proms 2025.
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“I do recall,” says Batiashvili, “this particular [2007] performance of the Sibelius Concerto was from a concert I played in Finland the very day before I made my very first concerto recording, so I can definitely remember the intense feeling of excitement coupled with alertness.” That first album released in 2007 features a live performance of the work.
Vaughan Williams’ Sancta Civitas (‘The Holy City’) written in 1924/5 embarks on a musical and spiritual journey that tackles anquish and concludes with hope. The intense thirty-minute choral work sees the BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Chorus, and members of London Youth Choirs joining forces wtih bass-baritone Gerald Finlay, and tenor Caspar Singh.
Stream the First Night of the BBC Proms on TV or BBC Sounds/BBC Radio 3
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