Aaron Copland rehearsing with the London Symphony Orchestra

Aaron Copland composed his Appalachian Spring in 1945. Thirty years later he came to London to perform with the London Symphony Orchestra for a BBC TV programme celebrating his 75th birthday. The picture was taken at a rehearsal for the programme. Listen to the BBC Philharmonic's Afternoon on 3 performance of Appalachian Spring from yesterday afternoon in HD Sound online.

Steve Bowbrick, interactive editor, BBC Radio 3

"Im playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order"

Donald Macleod reaches Grieg's best-known work today. He discusses the composer's twilight years and his piano concerto on Composer of the Week at 1200 and again at 1830. And, inevitably, our thoughts turn to Eric Morecambe, whose near-legendary interpretation of the work has been causing involuntary fits of laughter since Christmas 1971. The picture, from that landmark or British comedy, is from the BBC's picture archive.

Steve Bowbrick, Interactive Editor, BBC Radio 3

Smetana Hall, Prague

BBC Symphony Orchestra sub-principal viola Phil Hall reports on an extra-special 'coals to Newscastle' tour and a singular honour for Jiří Belohlávek, who takes the podium for his last concert as Chief Conductor tonight. 

With Jiří Belohlávek 's tenure as chief conductor of the BBCSO entering its home straight, it seemed fitting that the orchestra give  two concerts in this year's Prague Spring Festival. Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and always a joy to visit with every time seeming like the first. Resplendent with 
medieval churches, synagogues, cobbled streets and amazing Art Deco 
buildings, bisected by the romantic Vltava river.

After a restless night in a hotel that seems to have starched its  duvets into large crisp packets, we breakfast and walk across the old  town square, to rehearse in the Smetana Hall. This is the home of Jiri's old orchestra, the Prague Symphony, and he is proud to welcome us. The acoustics (like the weather) are wonderfully 
warm. Four years ago we gave a memorable performance of Suk's Asrael 
Symphony here (in the presence of the composer's grandson) and this 
time we bring another part of his trilogy: Zráni (The Ripening)  which glows magically and likewise Ravel's Shéhérazade shimmers.  But to fly the flag we open the concert in the evening with some  English string music: Tippett's Concerto for double string orchestra  to which the audience listens intently. For the Suk the orchestra is joined by three offstage Czech trumpeters and the ladies of the Prague Philharmonic chorus. This difficult  polytonal piece goes very well but still leaves me gasping for some Czech Pils.

Read the rest of this entry