The BBC Philharmonic come to the Proms in their 60th anniversary year. Under their principal conductor Yan Pascal Tortelier and as part of the celebration of the Proms' first hundred years, they perform two of the many works which received their British premiere at these concerts. The first is Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand (originally written for a pianist who lost his right arm in the First World War - tonight's soloist is Jean-Yves Thibaudet) followed by Sibelius's powerful First Symphony.

"I made my debut at the Proms in 1962 when I was 15, playing the violin in the Brahms Double Concerto with my late father, Paul," says Tortelier. "It was my first contact with a London audience and they gave me an unforgettable welcome."
"Since 1988 I've appeared at the Proms every year as a conductor, and to me it is the greatest musical event in the world. Tonight we combine French music with Sibelius, not an obvious coupling but one I find extraordinarily appealing. There is great poetry in Sibelius and he can be extremely impressionistic, too."
The programme is introduced by Richard Baker.

(Stereo)