Dvorak’s Cello Concerto from the BBC Proms

Mark Forrest celebrates summer music-making in the UK and beyond.

All summer we’re in residence at the Royal Albert Hall for highlights from the BBC Proms. Today, cellist Gautier Capuçon takes the star role in Dvorak’s Cello Concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and conductor Alain Altinoglu. And there’s more from Marin Alsop’s America-themed Prom with the Philharmonia Orchestra: she conducts music by Bernstein as well as Copland’s evocative Appalachian Spring. Away from the Royal Albert Hall, we make one final trip this week to the elegant Pittville Pump Rooms to hear more from Radio 3’s New Generation Artists at this year’s Cheltenham Music Festival. Today, violinist Hana Chang plays Mozart, and the Astatine Trio performs Beethoven’s ‘Archduke’ Piano Trio.

From the BBC Proms 2026:
Claude Debussy
Prelude a l’après-midi d’un faun
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Alain Altinoglu (conductor)

Aaron Copland
Appalachian Spring Suite
Philharmonia Orchestra
Marin Alsop (conductor)

From Cheltenham Festival 2026:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Violin Sonata in A major, K. 305
Hana Chang (violin)
Jonathan Ware (piano)

From the BBC Proms 2026:
Antonin Dvorak
Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104
Gautier Capuçon (cello)
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Alain Altinoglu (conductor)

Johann Sebastian Bach
Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 539
Olivier Latry (organ of the Royal Albert Hall)

From Cheltenham Music Festival 2026:
Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Trio in B flat major, Op. 97 ‘Archduke’
Astatine Trio

From the BBC Proms 2026:
Leonard Bernstein
Three Dance Episodes from On The Town
Philharmonia Orchestra
Marin Alsop (conductor)

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