Proms Double Bill

Richard Baker introduces two excerpts from this year's 90th season of Henry Wood Promenade Concerts Ida Haendel plays Brahms's Violin Concerto in D, Op 77 London Symphony Orchestra, leader Michael Davis, conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste Brahms's only violin concerto was composed in 1878 for the great violinist Joseph Joachim. The soloist on 27 July first appeared at the Proms in 1937, and Sir Henry Wood became one of her staunchest admirers. At 4.30* Tchaikovsky's Symphony No 5, in E minor, Op 64 BBC Symphony Orchestra led by Maurice Brett, conducted by Marek Janowski from an all-Russian concert given on 26 July. Tchaikovsky himself conducted the first performance of his symphony in St Petersburg (Leningrad) in 1888 in the presence of Brahms.