Jonny Greenwood Prom
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.