Year of birth and death

(I was born in 1934)

In 1934, three towering figures in British music died: Frederick Delius, Edward Elgar and Gustav Holst. This weekend the Proms mark the 75th anniversary with several concerts, of which BBC2 has chosen to air what looks like the pick of the bunch. It brings together three pieces that hum with a sense of place, starting with Elgar's Overture: Cockaigne, a portrait of Edwardian London via a string of musical snapshots, the themes of which come together in a typically stirring climax. By contrast, Delius's The Song of the High Hills uses a wordless chorus to evoke a summer night in the mountains of Norway. The second half of the concert is given over to Holst's The Planets, which, as one of the most beloved works of the last century, needs little introduction. Sir Charles Mackerras conducts the BBC Philharmonic for what should be a rousing night.

BBC Proms 2009: 1934

Saturday 25 July
8:00pm - 9:50pm
BBC2