On Tuesday (10 September 2019) evening I traveled into London to go to the Royal Albert Hall for the “Jonny Greenwood Prom”.

Jonny Greenwood, best known as a member of Radiohead but also a highly successful composer of film scores, had been asked to curate a programme of music for one of the Proms’ seasons late night Proms. This included a premiere of ‘Horro vacui’ a new composition by him.

The programme was as follows:

• Biber: Mystery (Rosary) Sonatas No. 16 – Passacaglia in G minor
• Krzysztof Penderecki: Sinfonietta for strings – Vivace
• Jonny Greenwood: Three Miniatures from Water – No. 3; 88 (No. 1)
• Steve Reich: Pulse
• Jonny Greenwood: Horror vacui – for solo violin and 68 strings

The performers were:

• Daniel Pioro – violin
• Katherine Tinker – piano
• Jonny Greenwood – bass guitar/tanpura
• BBC Proms Youth Ensemble
• BBC National Orchestra of Wales
• Hugh Brunt – conductor

Whilst I’ve listened to a lot of Proms concerts on the radio/iPlayer, this was the first time I had actually been to one – and we did it properly – doing the whole promenading thing.

I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Was hugely impressed by the violin performance, and the physicality of the solo piano piece (88 (No. 1), but I have to say my favourite piece was the Steve Reich.