Prom 72: English Music

The BBC Symphony Orchestra and Andrew Litton at last summer's BBC Proms in 20th-century English music. Vaughan Williams, Birtwistle and Walton's Viola Concerto with Lise Berthaud.

Presented by Christopher Cook at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on 'Greensleeves'
Sir Harrison Birtwistle: Exody

Walton: Viola Concerto
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4 in F minor

Lise Berthaud (viola)
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Litton (conductor)

The idyll of Vaughan Williams's Fantasia on 'Greensleeves' is soon abandoned in the composer's dark and questioning Symphony No. 4 and Birtwistle's Exody, an overwhelming musical labyrinth of sound.
This season's composer focus on William Walton continues with his much-loved Viola Concerto - a work that had its premiere at the Proms, conducted by the composer and featuring composer and violist Paul Hindemith as soloist. Powerful, often dark music that looks far beyond the pastoral stereotypes. Tonight it is performed by BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist Lise Berthaud.