91Èȱ¬

Sir Roger Norrington conducts his period instrument London Classical Players in symphonies by Beethoven and Schubert.
Where some musicians follow trends, Roger Norrington has always led them, not least in his long collaboration with the London Classical Players, the orchestra he formed to explore the playing styles relating to Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Berlioz. In this 1989 Prom, Schubert's monumental 'Great' symphony - once praised for its 'heavenly length'- is paired with early Beethoven.

Presented by Hannah French.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 2 in D major

Schubert: Schubert: Symphony No. 9 in C major, ‘Great’

London Classical Players
Sir Roger Norrington (conductor)

(From 91Èȱ¬ Proms 1989, 21 August)

followed at c. 9.15 by:

Beethoven: String Quartet in F major op 59 no.1 (Razumovsky)
Aris String Quartet

Sir Roger Norrington's ‘Experiences’ were one of the defining features of the UK's musical life in the 1980s. In these hugely popular events, Sir Roger and his London Classical Players offered music, talk and provocative discussion and brought new insights into works from the Classical and Romantic periods, seen then as the preserve of the traditional symphony orchestras. It is no exaggeration to say that performance style of Beethoven and Schubert has not been the same since.

In 2020, 91Èȱ¬ Radio 3 is bringing together musical greats, from the past and the present, in one extraordinary Proms season. Radio 3 is broadcasting the best of four decades of unmissable Proms concerts.