The Sunday Prom: China Philharmonic Orchestra BBC Proms

They've travelled 5,000 miles across the globe for one night only

to make their Proms Debut.

The China Philharmonic Orchestra are certainly making it

worth their while, with a concert of epic proportions.

Based in Beijing and just 14 years old,

it's the State Orchestra of the People's Republic of China,

and they don't do things by halves

we've got two overtures, two concertos

and a fantastic orchestral showpiece to end.

This is the first in our series of Sunday Proms,

which will bring you some of the stand-out events of the Proms season

over the next seven weeks, including other first-time visits of orchestras

from far afield. We've got orchestras from Australia, from Turkey.

But there is a huge sense of anticipation

here at the Royal Albert Hall for tonight's orchestra.

It's emblematic of how the appetite for classical music in China

just keeps growing and growing.

Something extraordinary is happening in China.

An estimated 15 million young people are currently pulling up a stool,

lifting the lid and learning to play the piano.

From this new generation of players,

will come some of the global classical music stars of the future.

Musicians whose names we'll all know in a few years' time.

For the last 20 years, classical music has developed very well.

And also we have had so many young musicians growing up

now come also to the international stage.

It's part of the Chinese culture

to be really curious about learning knowledge

and I think they highly revere classical music

so they really wanted to learn from it.

The interest in western classical music

has mirrored the boom in the Chinese economy.

The musical disciplines of hard work and dedication

have chimed perfectly with the new middle-class families

and have been embraced wholeheartedly,

to the point where on factory turns out a piano every minute.

What makes this all the more extraordinary

is that just 40 years ago, this music was effectively banned in China.

As Chairman Mao attempted to shape a new culture for Communist China,

western music was forbidden, deemed imperialist and corrupt.

It's said that the piano came in for particular criticism

as a coffin in which you could hear

the rattling bones of the bourgeoisie.

The generation of musicians before this one

risked having their fingers broken

and were often banished to the countryside to do manual work.

-TRANSLATED:

-During the Cultural Revolution,

most of our records, from Tchaikovsky, to Brahms to Cliburn,

were taken from homes when they were ransacked.

When they were returned to us, they were just a pile of rubbish.

Mao's death in 1976 brought the end of the Cultural Revolution.

When the Central Conservatory finally threw open its doors again,

18,000 people applied for just 100 places.

In that first class were some of the people

who define contemporary Chinese music today,

including Tan Dun and one of our composers in tonight's Prom,

Qigang Chen, who was also in charge of the music

for the opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics.

The Chinese orchestra itself is very well developed in the past 20 years.

And not only the major cities like Beijing, Shanghai,

also in the second branch city, they established new orchestras.

Western classical music has exploded in China.

Gleaming new concert halls are being built in cities across the country,

like the showpiece egg in Beijing and there's less formality too.

Younger audiences flock to hear their heroes play,

and film them on their smartphones.

When you perform in the West,

you see most of the people in the audience,

they are either middle-aged...

But in China you see all these college students and kids

and after the concert, CD signing,

you see all these college students lining up.

So it is a very different phenomenon in China.

New stars, new orchestras and new works.

And tonight an extraordinary debut for the China Philharmonic

here at the BBC Proms.

They're bringing a very generous programme.

Music by Tchaikovsky, his Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture,

a piano concerto by Liszt and a new work for trumpeter Alison Balsom

from the Chinese-born Qigang Chen,

with a grand finale of Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition.

But first, they've come all this way to London to perform music

by none other than our very own Sir Edward Elgar,

one of his Pomp And Circumstance Marches,

a quintessentially English classic.

APPLAUSE

And here to conduct the China Philharmonic Orchestra

in Elgar's Pomp And Circumstance March No 4 is Long Yu.

MUSIC: "Pomp And Circumstance March No 4" by Edward Elgar

APPLAUSE

Long Yu, conducting the China Philharmonic Orchestra

in Elgar's Pomp And Circumstance March No 4.

Long Yu said earlier that Elgar's music

is very well known in China and widely played,

but it's a great honour to play it in Elgar's home country.

Next up, we have music by a composer who is wildly popular in China -

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Tchaikovsky was 29 when he wrote his first masterpiece,

his fantasy overture based on Romeo and Juliet.

The piece doesn't tell the story as much but captures something

of the characters and atmosphere in Shakespeare's great tragedy.

So we have the first section, with its churchy feel,

representing the compassionate Friar Laurence,

the monk who secretly marries the love-struck couple.

Fast and exciting music after that,

inspired by the sword fights between the warring clans,

the Montagues and the Capulets.

And then the famous love music, with a tune for Juliet,

which the French composer Berlioz called,

"The most beautiful melody of the 19th century".

The gorgeous music can't last, though.

The sombre final bars confront us with the lovers' tragic end.

APPLAUSE

And here to conduct it, Long Yu.

The China Philharmonic Orchestra now, with Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet.

MUSIC: "Romeo and Juliet" by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

APPLAUSE

An energetic interpretation there

of Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy Overture

by Long Yu, conducting the China Philharmonic Orchestra.

He's always said there's a very special relationship

between China and Russia.

Literature and culture came to China very early from Russia

and that in terms of character, he said,

"We are very close to the Russians, especially in the north of China.

"So we love Tchaikovsky's music."

And as Long Yu comes back on to the stage to take another bow,

it's worth just pausing to remember

that gorgeous love theme from the Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture.

You know, Tchaikovsky's friend, the composer Balakirev,

wrote him a letter after hearing that love music for the first time.

It says, "I imagine you lying naked in your bath

"and that a French actress

"is washing your tummy with hot lather from scented soap."

So let me leave you with that image!

Well, after those two overtures, the first of our two concertos tonight.

And there's only one thing an orchestra from China

could possibly bring to the Proms.

It had to be a spectacularly virtuosic piano concerto.

And, frankly, it doesn't get much more virtuosic than one by Liszt.

China has really become the powerhouse of the piano,

with eye-watering numbers of children currently taking lessons.

Some estimates put the figure at over 50 million.

It's produced some of the most famous players of recent years

but it has to be said they owe it all

to the original super-virtuoso, Franz Liszt,

the first true international celebrity of the piano.

Liszt said that a concerto should be,

"Clear in sense, brilliant in expression, and grand in style",

and tonight's is certainly all that.

It's the first of two he wrote.

He spent over 25 years tinkering with it,

before giving the premiere performance in 1855

with himself at the piano,

and the French composer Hector Berlioz conducting.

Well, tonight's soloist is Haochen Zhang,

one of the most exciting young virtuosos to come out of China.

He's just celebrated his 24th birthday,

he has a packed international schedule and he studies

with the same teacher that taught

China's greatest piano export, Lang Lang.

I caught up with him earlier today to talk pianos and Proms.

I was introduced to the piano by my parents.

But the actual reason was actually not very music-related

because my mom at that time was learning English and part of

her homework every week is to read this US magazine, Reader's Digest.

One of the articles caught her attention, and it's something

like, "How piano is one of the best ways to improve baby intelligence."

And 10 years, 20 years ago,

we were still strictly under the one child policy,

so every family only has one kid

so that kid is the only future of the family, so intelligence,

I guess, is something really important,

so she thought, "Why not just let my son try and see how it goes?" Yes.

And it went pretty well!

-HE LAUGHS

-Thank you.

So tell us about the Liszt that you're playing for us tonight.

It's a very romantic work, of course,

with a lot of dramatic intensity in it

and it's also very easy for the audience to understand,

so I think it's a perfect combination

and also I think it's a great piece also for the orchestra.

Are you looking forward to making your Proms debut?

Yeah, very much. And, it's...

I just got a glimpse from backstage, when I arrived,

of the hall, and it looks absolutely incredible.

Of course, I saw it on YouTube countless times,

but I'm sure it's never like experiencing it in reality.

I'm really looking forward to it.

APPLAUSE

And here he comes,

Haochen Zhang to perform Liszt's Piano Concerto No 1,

with that famous grand opening.

And with him, conductor Long Yu.

So sit back and enjoy Liszt's Piano Concerto No 1 In E Flat Major.

MUSIC: "Piano Concerto No 1 In E Flat Major" by Franz Liszt

APPLAUSE

A wonderful reception here in the hall for the Proms debut

of Haochen Zhang, playing Liszt's Piano Concerto No 1 In E Flat Major,

with the China Phil, conducted by Long Yu.

A lovely reaction there from the conductor,

who was paying tribute

to young Haochen's musicality earlier on today.

The two of them had great communication,

didn't they, during that performance?

Haochen Zhang told us earlier that he feels safest

when he practices and performs.

He says, "Everything is not predictable in life,

"but in music, when you practice more, you gain more."

And if ever there was a good example

of the work ethic paying off, tonight was it.

Superbly confident performance of Liszt's first piano concerto.

Everyone in the crowd enjoying it!

Another bow for Haochen Zhang.

Oh, there he goes, he's sitting down. We're getting an encore.

MUSIC: "La Campanella" by Franz Liszt

APPLAUSE

Well, just listen to that response to Haochen Zhang's virtuosic encore.

That was Liszt's La Campanella, The Bells. Just brilliant.

What a wonderful London debut at the Proms for this young man.

You know, if you didn't catch him playing us out of Proms Extra

last night on BBC Two, it is worth taking a look on the BBC iPlayer.

Now, the China Phil really don't do things by halves.

Still to come, we'll be taking a tour of an art gallery

in the company of Mussorgsky and his Pictures At An Exhibition

and next we're going to be hearing a brand-new concerto written especially

for spectacular British trumpet virtuoso, Alison Balsom.

The composer is the Chinese-born Qigang Chen

and even if you haven't heard of him, you've probably heard his music,

as he was the music director

at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

The concerto is called Eternal Joy and I met up with Alison Balsom

earlier during rehearsals, outside a very noisy Royal Albert Hall,

and asked her about the significance of the title.

So this new piece, the UK premiere of which is tonight,

it's called Eternal Joy. Is it joyous?

I would say it's very joyous to play.

I mean, it's very challenging, but it has moments of real, true joy

and I think the audience will feel very uplifted by the piece.

It's very original and I think it takes us

on a real journey of emotions.

Well, the composer did say that he wanted to push the boundaries

of what the trumpet can do. Has he done that?

He's really done that and he's very open about the fact

that he said his prime motivation

was to push the trumpet beyond what's possible and he's done that.

But, at the same time,

it's worth trying to get past those physical challenges

to get to the nucleus of the musical ideas of the piece,

because the colours and the ideas are very beautiful.

So what should we be listening out for?

Well, I think the interplay between the trumpet and the orchestra

is very clever and subtle, but a wonderful kind of interaction.

And also the thing that is probably not straightaway so obvious,

but is a challenge, is for the trumpet

just to play very, very long notes without a break and

without having any chance for the blood to get back into your lips.

But it does create this amazing tension and this kind of slow,

slow build and finally it becomes incredibly glorious and virtuosic.

So I think that's something to follow,

but just kind of sink in to and enjoy.

When I first heard about the piece, I thought,

"Trumpets, China..." It's not what you expect, is it?

The trumpet is a very western instrument

and it's of course very versatile, but really within the western genres

and I think that's why Qigang Chen chose the instrument,

to kind of meet with the eastern sounds, you know,

the pentatonic scales in the orchestra

and this real fusion of the two cultures has been a joy.

In all the rehearsals and at the first performance in Beijing,

I felt very honoured to be the sole westerner in the project,

representing the west with my trumpet.

APPLAUSE

And here she comes, Alison Balsom...

to perform Eternal Joy, by Qigang Chen.

This is the UK premiere of this work.

She gave the world premiere earlier this month in Beijing

at a very special, star-studded concert

for Long Yu's 50th birthday.

Long Yu, taking his place on the podium now.

MUSIC: "Eternal Joy" by Qigang Chen

APPLAUSE

Well, that look at the end from Alison Balsom

just said it all, didn't it?

A kind of amazed and delighted relief to have got through

what she described to me earlier as the hardest piece she's ever played.

My goodness, she made it look so easy!

What a spectacular performance.

That was a piece called Eternal Joy by the Chinese composer Qigang Chen.

And there he is. Come to take his bow.

He wrote it especially for Alison. He wanted to challenge her.

A warm embrace for Long Yu, the conductor.

Fascinating story about the composer, actually.

Qigang Chen spent three years in confinement,

undergoing "ideological re-education"

during the Cultural Revolution in the '60s and '70s.

He managed to get away, he got out of China, went to Paris

and he studied with the great French composer, Messiaen.

I always think it says a lot

when the orchestra is applauding quite that warmly for the soloist.

Alison actually filmed a really fascinating video diary

for Proms Extra, which if you missed yesterday you can see again

on the BBC iPlayer, all about her trip to Beijing

to give the world premiere of that piece

and how difficult it was to learn. But, really tremendous story.

Well, the final work in tonight's epic Prom,

makes for an outstanding finale.

The thrilling sounds of Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition.

Now, this piece was inspired by the premature death

of Mussorgsky's great friend, the artist Viktor Hartmann.

The exhibition of the title was a kind of posthumous fundraiser,

showing Hartmann's paintings and drawings and architectural designs.

Now, he's not very well known now but at the time of his death in 1873,

Hartmann was hugely popular in Russia

and lots of the pictures that Mussorgsky describes in music

were actually sold then and there at the exhibition

and so are now missing in the mists of time.

Mussorgsky's Pictures are separated by music called Promenade,

as the composer makes his way around the gallery,

which is of course a very fitting choice for tonight's Promenaders.

The piece was originally written as a piano solo

but in the 1920s the brilliant French composer Maurice Ravel

decided to re-work the music for orchestra.

And what resulted was one of the 20th century's

most spectacular orchestral showpieces.

Really highlights the virtuosity of all the members of the orchestra.

We're going to see pictures of a nutcracker shaped like a gnome,

we'll hear the musical version of a visit to an old castle,

we'll witness chicks dancing in their eggshells,

we'll hear gardens and markets and catacombs

and then we will finish up at the Great Gate at Kiev.

And here to conduct Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition is Long Yu.

MUSIC: "Pictures At An Exhibition" by Modest Mussorgsky

APPLAUSE

Long Yu, the artistic director and chief conductor

of the China Philharmonic,

Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition.

A wonderful finale to this, their first ever Prom.

Long Yu himself earlier praised his powerful orchestra.

And when he was talking earlier about the Mussorgsky, he said,

"If you can listen with an ear to the feelings of our musicians from China,

"you'll understand how much

"the Chinese give their deep passion to Russian music."

Well, you can hear the cheering

and the stamping as Long Yu comes back once again to take another bow.

I think we might be getting an encore.

MUSIC: "Wonderful Night" by Liu Tian-Hua

APPLAUSE

Music from China, there. That was Liu Tian-Hua's Wonderful Night,

played as an encore by the China Philharmonic Orchestra,

conducted by Long Yu.

There is a story.

Because, just a couple of days before we're coming here,

there's a few young musicians from the orchestra came to see me.

They said, "Can we do some small pieces in the encore?"

I said, "Why?"

They said, "We just want to, because we are very excited.

"And this is, for us, the first time in London,

"first time in the UK, and also first time in the Proms.

"So we want to show our appreciation

"to be invited to London, for the Proms.

"So we want to do some small pieces."

And I said, "OK, let's do it."

So, this is not a decision by the music director.

-Not a decision by management.

-LAUGHTER

Not a decision by the BBC Proms here.

LAUGHTER

It's purely by the young musicians from the orchestra.

I hope you like this little present. Thank you very much.

APPLAUSE

MUSIC: "God Save The Queen"

APPLAUSE

APPLAUSE

Well, how about that? That's one way to make friends, isn't it?

The China Philharmonic Orchestra performing a very special encore,

an arrangement made especially for tonight of a set of variations

on our National Anthem, based on a version by the 19th century

French composer, Adrien-Francois Servais.

They said it's a gesture of friendship

from the orchestra to the Prommers. And I'd say that worked.

And that is it.

The China Philharmonic finishing in style here at the BBC Proms

and what a first impression they've made.

A concert of truly epic proportions.

Plenty more to come here at the BBC Proms. Every Prom live on Radio 3

and this Thursday on BBC Four, Tom Service will be here

with Bach's St John Passion.

For now, though, good night from all of us at the Royal Albert Hall.