The 6 Music Prom: Re-imagining a future for music with classical roots
On Wednesday 5th August, a new generation of musicians will bring Berlin's contemporary classical scene to the Royal Albert Hall for a sold-out 6 Music Prom curated and presented by Mary Anne Hobbs.
In September 2014 Mary Anne first talked about the Prom with piano virtuoso Nils Frahm when they met in Manchester. But their journey to the Proms actually began 18 months earlier when Mary Anne championed Nils on her weekend breakfast show.
"They are pioneers who are completely reinventing classical music"
Mary Anne, Nils Frahm and A Winged Victory for the Sullen on their journey to the Proms.
Nils first featured on Mary Anne's show at the beginning of 2013
Mary Anne heard the simple piano piece You and made it her 'Sunriser' or Record of the Weekend. This prompted her to get in touch with his record label Erased Tapes to find out about upcoming new material.
Mary Anne then gave a world-exclusive preview of Nils' track Says
For Mary Anne, Says "is a piece of music with magical properties, it feels like Nils has taken the complex textures of what love could be, and transposed them into sound."
Says was chosen as her track of 2013
2014 was all about A Winged Victory for the Sullen
I was completely swept up in the beautiful atmospheresMary Anne Hobbs
Mary Anne started exploring the Erased Tapes' roster and discovered the ambient duo Adam Wiltzie and Dustin O'Halloran. They had composed an original score for Atomos, a cutting-edge performance choreographed by Wayne McGregor.
Mary Anne gave a world-exclusive first play of their track Atomos VI
She made the Atomos LP her album of 2014
A Winged Victory for the Sullen 6 Music Prom Preview
The duo talk to Mary Anne Hobbs ahead of their first rehearsal at the Royal Albert Hall
"You feel maybe once in a decade where the momentum builds behind a set of new artists doing something completely different with a brand new sound... AWVFTS and Nils Frahm are at that special moment."
Mary Anne Hobbs
Building a unique live performance for the Prom together
“Nils loves to improvise, and A Winged Victory For The Sullen prefer to write and rehearse but both artists are re-imagining a future for music with classical roots and are drawing in contemporary musical influences. Many fans have discovered them by listening to my radio show. So this is a story we built together, which becomes physical at the Prom." Mary Anne Hobbs
More around the BBC
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Nils Frahm
Is classical music the new rock 'n' roll?
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A Winged Victory for the Sullen
Letting go of forms you recognise when listening to ambient music
