Episode 2

With Penny Gore
Thomas Søndergård conducts the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in a live concert at BBC Hoddinott Hall Cardiff featuring two contrasted Russian works: Kalinnikov's robustly tuneful Symphony No.1 and Prokofiev's frenetic Symphony-Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, with Andreas Brantelid as soloist. The concert is presented by Nicola Heywood Thomas. That's followed by a Romantic Piano Concerto by Frenchman Gabriel Pierné peformed by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and pianist Stephen Coombs.

The Metaphysical poets are out in force this week on Afternoon on 3 in Kenneth Leighton's Symphony No.2 which you can hear this Thursday. Today they are represented in the writings of Welsh poet Henry Vaughan, which fired -up English composer Edmund Rubbra. His The Morning Watch is an elated work for chorus and orchestra, the choir entering with the words: 'O joys! infinite sweetness! with what flowers, And shoots of glory, my soul breaks, and buds!'

Prokofiev: Symphony-concerto for Cello and Orchestra
Andreas Brantelid (cello)
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Thomas Søndergård (conductor)

Kalinnikov: Symphony No 1
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Thomas Søndergård (conductor)

Gabriel Pierné: Piano Concerto in C Minor Op.12
Stephen Coombs (piano)
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Ronald Corp (conductor)

Rubbra: The Morning Watch Op.55
BBC National Chorus of Wales
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Richard Hickox (conductor).