BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Recorded at the opening concert of last year's Newbury Spring Festival in St. Nicolas Church, music by Barber, Beethoven, and Brahms' Violin Concerto with soloist Alexander Sitkovetsky. As the festival was sadly cancelled this year, Penny Gore evokes the festival spirit to open this week of Afternoon Concert featuring the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Followed by a brand new recording with conductor Kenneth Woods of music by the British composer Philip Sawyers, whose work has been described as “of instant appeal and enduring quality”. His Symphony No 4 was written in the unusual form of just three movements. To explain why, the composer simply said that "by the time the third movement was complete, there was nothing more to say".

2pm
Barber: Adagio for string orchestra
Brahms: Violin Concerto in D, op. 77
Beethoven: Symphony No. 1 in C, op. 21
Alexander Sitkovetsky, violin
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Jac van Steen, conductor

c.3.25pm
Philip Sawyers: Symphony No. 4
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Kenneth Woods, conductor