This autumn the BBC is to celebrate 100 years of classical music with a landmark season of radio and TV programmes which will end in a specially commissioned work on the First Night of the BBC Proms 2019. The year-long season of programmes will be called Our Classical Century and will contain documentaries and performances celebrating the most memorable musical moments from 1918-2018.
The programmes will include:
- A four-part chronological series on BBC Four introduced by Sir Lenny Henry and Suzy Klein
- A range of guides introduced by Brian Cox (Holst’s The Planets) and Lucy Worsley (Queen Victoria and the British Musical Revolution) on BBC Two, and Katie Derham, Tom Service and Josie D’Arby on BBC Four.
- BBC Orchestras playing a series of TV broadcast Discovery Concerts
- BBC Radio 3 celebrating the season throughout the year with coverage across the network and playing the Top 100 Countdown in Essential Classics.
- The season will end with a newly commissioned work to be performed on the First Night of the BBC Proms 2019
Tony Hall, Director-General of the BBC, says: “The UK has a rich creative history in classical music and a bright future too. At the BBC we’re proud to have played a vital role in that story and we’re keen to ensure classical music can be enjoyed as widely as possible.
“This autumn marks the most ambitious classical music programming to date, exploring a century of classical music across BBC TV and radio. We’re also releasing some of our archive and hope to give audiences the rich history of these great performance moments as we look forward to those to come.”
The series, which has been produced by Lion Television, is one of the most ambitious single commissions for classical music, using resources across the BBC including the BBC Orchestras and Choirs.
Tony Hall added, “I’m proud to say that we remain the largest commissioner of new work in the world of classical music. And long may that continue… In an age of ever growing platforms – and social media sharing – these performances – some historic and some very recent – will be returned to the public,” promising to make them available on iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
Announcing the building of new studios in east London he looked forward to recordings ‘Made in Stratford’ being a byword for brilliance and accessibility in classical music, delivered by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Chorus and the BBC Singers, and their conductors Sakari Oramo and Sofi Jeannin, just as ‘Made in Salford’ is for the BBC Philharmonic and their new principle conductor Omer Meir Wellber.
For more information on Our Classical Century visit the BBC website here.
