Beethoven’s 'Choral' Symphony at the BBC Proms

Al Ryan celebrates summer music-making in the UK and beyond.

Throughout the season Classical Live features highlights from the BBC Proms, the world’s greatest classical music festival. Today, we relive Beethoven’s epic 9th Symphony, performed by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and Philharmonia Chorus in the Royal Albert Hall on Monday night. We revisit the Schubertiade Schwarzenberg in Austria to hear violinist Renaud Capuçon and friends playing the first of Schubert’s lyrical pair of Piano Trios. Also, every day this week, there's a Mozart String Quintet from the elegant rococo Leitheim Castle in Bavaria, with violist Violaine Despeyroux joining Quatuor Voce.

From the BBC Proms 2026:
Johann Sebastian Bach (orch. Andrew Davis)
Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV542
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Gianandrea Noseda (conductor)

From the Schubertiade Schwarzenberg 2026:
Franz Schubert
Piano Trio No. 1 in E flat, D. 898
Renaud Capuçon (violin)
Julia Hagen (cello)
Guillaume Bellom (piano)

From the BBC Proms 2026:
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125
Leah Hawkins (soprano)
Stephanie Wake-Edwards (mezzo-soprano)
Martin Muehle (tenor)
Derek Welton (bass)
Philharmonia Chorus
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Gianandrea Noseda (conductor)

Fryderyk Chopin
Nocturne in C minor, Op. 48 No. 1
Giorgi Gigashvili (piano)

From Leitheim Castle Concerts 2026:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
String Quintet No. 5 in D major, K. 593
Quatuor Voce
Violaine Despeyroux (viola)

From the Schubertiade Schwarzenberg 2026:
Franz Schubert
Nachtstuck, D. 672
Konstantin Krimmel (baritone)
Ammiel Bushakevitz (piano)

To listen to this programme (using most smart speakers), just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Classical Live".