1 EAGLETON NOTES: The First Night of The Proms 2010

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Wednesday 21 July 2010

The First Night of The Proms 2010

The Symphony No. 8 in E-flat major by Gustav Mahler (1860–1911) is one of the largest choral works in the classical concert repertory. Because it requires huge instrumental and vocal forces it is frequently called the "Symphony of a Thousand", though Mahler did not acknowledge the name. The work was composed in a single inspired burst, at Maiernigg in southern Austria in the summer of 1906. The last of Mahler's works that was premiered in his lifetime, the symphony was a critical and popular success when he conducted its first performance in Munich on 12 September 1910.

To mark the 100th anniversary of the first performance it was this year’s opening work for the BBC promenade Concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall.  Eight soloists and six choirs and the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jiří Bělohlávek undertook the mammoth task.

Proms-1 The Orchestra

Proms1 The singers

DSC02395 The conductor

DSC02411 The audience

2 comments:

  1. Looks impressive.Think I already told you but we traditionally get to see the *Last* Night of the Proms on TV in Sweden (afterwards). So I have some general impression in my mind of the concert hall etc. I think we also saw the Royal Albert Hall when we were in London back in my early teens but probably didn't actually attend a concert or I suppose I'd have stronger memories of it.

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  2. Wow. WONDERFUL images GB! I would love to have been there.

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