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Seventy significant premieres by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, 1930-2000

Use the tabs below to view each decade.

BBC Symphony Orchestra premieres in the 1980s

SCHNITTKE Symphony No 2 (St Florian) (BBC commission)
Gennadi Rozhestvensky conductor
Royal Festival Hall, 23 April 1980
The Russian conductor's advocacy of Schnittke's music was evident throughout his time at the BBC SO, and this big choral commission was its highlight.

HARRISON BIRTWISTLE Earth Dances (BBC commission)
Peter Eotvos conductor
Royal Festival Hall, 14 March 1986
A Rite of Spring for the 80s, now played internationally: the Cleveland Orchestra recorded it under Dohnanyi and brought it back to the Proms; it was one of many Birtwistle BBC premieres, from Nomos in1968 to Panic at the Last Night in 1995.

JOHN TAVENER The Protecting Veil (BBC commission)
Oliver Knussen conductor
Royal Albert Hall (Prom), 4 September 1989
One of the most successful works the BBC has ever commissioned, this work, premiered by Steven Isserlis, has received countless performances around the world.