BBC Proms goes Dutch

Friday, August 28 is an evening at the Royal Albert Hall when the BBC Proms will focus on Dutch music.

The Netherlands Wind Ensemble, 50 this year, marks the 70th birthday of radical Dutch Minimalist Louis Andriessen and the 50th of his leading British pupil Steve Martland with performances of Andriessen's classic polemic De staat and Martland's jazz-rock 'dance fantasia' Beat the Retreat, commissioned by the BBC for its 1995 Purcell tercentenary celebrations.

Another former pupil of Andriessen, Cornelis de Bondt creates an idiosyncratic death ritual in Doors Closed out of a fusion between the funeral march from Beethoven's 'Eroica' and Dido's Lament from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas.

Two of tonight's works call for two or more pianos, in a nod to our Multiple Pianos celebration.

program
Louis Andriessen - De staat (35')
Steve Martland - Beat the Retreat (13')
Cornelis de Bondt - Doors Closed* (London premiere) (23')

Netherlands Wind Ensemble
Lucas Vis conductor
Bart Schneemann 2nd conductor*

Live broadcast op BBC Radio 3.