Prom 20 – Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring

Rites and rituals run through this concert given by Martyn Brabbins and the BBC SO. Scored for 109 musicians, centenary composer Xenakis’ Jonchaies is a powerful hit of sound and sensation. Intricate mathematical patterns underpin a work of visceral sonic drama – a natural companion to the primal rhythms and hypnotic dances of Stravinsky’s ballet The Rite of Spring, which reportedly prompted a riot at its Paris premiere in 1913. BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist Tom Borrow is the soloist in Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major – its light-hearted, glittering brilliance a foil to so much intensity.