BBC Proms: Mozart and Mendelssohn
Bright. Playful. With a hint of darkness.
Who’s on stage
Pianist Christian Ihle Hadland makes his BBC Proms North East debut with our very own Royal Northern Sinfonia and violinist/ director Maria Włoszczowska.
What they’re playing
The Proms premiere of Felix Mendelssohn’s Concerto for Violin, Piano and Strings , written when the composer was just 14. No rulebook. Just instinct, and a lot of imagination. Two soloists, weaving around each other in ways that still feel fresh.
Grażyna Bacewicz’s Divertimento twists something light into something sharper and more colourful. Short. Punchy. Full of detail.
And Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart closes with his Symphony No. 39 - bright and energetic on the surface, but never far from something darker underneath.
BBC Proms in the North East is delivered in partnership with the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority and Tees Valley Combined Authority.
Need to know
Running time: 2 hours, plus 30-minute interval.
Age: under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.
Venue: The Fire Station, Sunderland.
Programmes: find out more about the music and musicians you’re about to hear with your free digital BBC Proms programme.
Broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.
What you'll hear
Grażyna Bacewicz Divertimento
Felix Mendelssohn Concerto for Violin, Piano and Strings
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony No. 39
Who's playing it
Maria Włoszczowska director/violin
Christian Ihle Hadland piano
Royal Northern Sinfonia
What's happening in the music
This one takes you on a bit of a journey.
It starts light - playful, quick on its feet. Then things open up. Mendelssohn throws two soloists into the mix, and suddenly there’s this back-and-forth energy. Conversation. Tension. Moments where it clicks, and moments where it almost pulls apart.
By the time you get to Mozart, everything feels bigger. Brighter. More confident. But not completely comfortable. There’s a hint of something unsettled in there. You’ll feel it shift as it goes.