Lutosławski at BBC Proms

The works to be performed at the Albert Hall in London are the Symphonic Variations, his first major orchestral composition which had its first performance a few months before the outbreak of World War Two, and the Piano Concerto, premiered in 1988 by its dedicatee, Krystian Zimerman.

Tonight’s soloist is the French-Canadian pianist Louis Lortie.

Lutosławski’s compositions are contrasted in the programme with music by the British composer Gustav Holst, Edgon Heath and The Planets.

To mark the centenary of Lutosławski’s birth, the BBC Proms features several more of his works, including the Cello Concerto (performed on 17 July by Paul Watkins with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Thomas Ades) and the Concerto for Orchestra, to be performed on 23 August by the Warsaw Philharmonic under Antoni Wit in what will be the orchestra’s Proms debut.

You can listen to the performances of Lutosławski's work live at the BBC Radio 3 web site. (mk/pg)