BBC Proms · Season 41 · Episode 6

Omnibus at the Proms

Friday, August 14

Introduced by Jane Glover Dance - the theme of the 93rd season of Henry Wood Promenade concerts - is a subject close to the heart of tonight's conductor, Isaiah Jackson , who has worked with the Dance Theatre of Harlem and next month becomes the music director of the Royal Ballet. The main work in tonight's concert is Copland: Dance Symphony, described by its composer as 'one of the things-called-symphonies-that-aren't'. It was written for a never-staged vampire ballet called Grohg. Before conducting it, Isaiah Jackson talks to Jane Glover about his love of music for dance. First in the programme comes Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in which the soloist is the Irish-born pianist Philip Martin , for whom the Piece is fast becoming a speciality: 'You need a stretch like an octopus! Rachmaninov had huge hands!' with the BBC Concert Orchestra leader MARTIN LOVEDAY