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Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue from the BBC Proms

Linton Stephens celebrates summer music-making in the UK and beyond, including Marin Alsop conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra in Bernstein and Gershwin at the Proms.

Linton Stephens 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, we hear highlights from conductor Marin Alsop’s America-themed Prom with the Philharmonia Orchestra, including Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue. And there’s more from the Proms: Britten’s Simple Symphony performed by the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra playing Stravinsky’s Symphony of Winds. Away from the Royal Albert Hall, we visit the Mozart Festival Würzburg, where pianist Severin von Eckardstein plays music by Prokofiev, and we return to this year’s Cheltenham Music Festival to hear more from our Radio 3 New Generation Artists. Today, the clarinettist Oleg Shebeta-Dragan is joined by two former members of the scheme – pianist Dominic Degavino and cellist Leo Popplewell – in the Clarinet Trio by Brahms.

From the BBC Proms 2026:
Leonard Bernstein
Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
Philharmonia Orchestra
Marin Alsop (conductor)

From Cheltenham Music Festival 2026:
Johannes Brahms
Clarinet Trio in A minor, Op. 114
Oleg Shebeta-Dragan (clarinet)
Dominic Degavino (piano)
Leo Popplewell (cello)

From the BBC Proms 2026:
Joan Tower
Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman
Philharmonia Orchestra
Marin Alsop (conductor)

George Gershwin orch. Grofé
Rhapsody in Blue
Marcus Roberts Trio
Philharmonia Orchestra
Marin Alsop (conductor)

From Cheltenham Music Festival 2026:
Max Bruch
4 Pieces for Clarinet, Cello and Piano (Op. 83, Nos. 1, 2, 6 and 7)
Oleg Shebeta-Dragan (clarinet)
Dominic Degavino (piano)
Leo Popplewell (cello)

From the BBC Proms 2026:
Benjamin Britten
Simple Symphony, Op. 4
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Benjamin Marquise Gilmore (director)

From the 2026 Mozart Festival Würzburg:
Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 75 (excerpts)
Severin von Eckardstein (piano)

From the BBC Proms 2026:
Igor Stravinsky
Symphony of Wind Instruments
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Alain Altinoglu (conductor)

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

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3 hours

Last on

Thursday 13:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Leonard Bernstein

    Symphonic Dances (from 'West Side Story')

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Marin Alsop.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Clarinet Trio in A minor, Op.114

    Performer: Oleg Shebeta-Dragan. Performer: Leo Popplewell. Performer: Dominic Degavino.

  • Johann Strauss II

    Alexandrinen-Polka, Op.198

    Orchestra: Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • Strauss in St Petersburg.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 006.

  • Joan Tower

    Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Marin Alsop.

  • George Gershwin

    Rhapsody in Blue

    Music Arranger: Marcus Roberts. Orchestrator: Ferde Grofé. Ensemble: Marcus Roberts Trio. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Marin Alsop.

  • James P. Johnson

    Victory Stride

    Ensemble: Marcus Roberts Trio. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Marin Alsop.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Andantino in B with Two Variations, KV Anh. C 26.01

    Performer: Severin von Eckardstein. Music Arranger: Wilhelm Kempff.

  • Max Bruch

    Piece No 1 for clarinet, cello and piano, Op 83

    Performer: Oleg Shebeta-Dragan. Performer: Leo Popplewell. Performer: Dominic Degavino.

  • Max Bruch

    Pieces for clarinet, cello and piano, Op 83 (No 2, 6, 7)

    Performer: Oleg Shebeta-Dragan. Performer: Leo Popplewell. Performer: Dominic Degavino.

  • Benjamin Britten

    Simple Symphony

    Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Director: Benjamin Marquise Gilmore.

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    5 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 75

    Performer: Severin von Eckardstein.

  • Florence Price

    Violin Concerto No 2

    Performer: Randall Goosby. Orchestra: The Philadelphia Orchestra. Conductor: Yannick Nézet‐Séguin.
    • Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1; Florence Price: Violin Concertos.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 7.

  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Va pensiero (Nabucco)

    Choir: Metropolitan Opera Chorus. Orchestra: The Met Orchestra. Conductor: Yannick Nézet‐Séguin.
    • A Concert for Ukraine.
    • Decca.
    • 4.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    Symphonies of Wind Instruments

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Alain Altinoglu.

Broadcast

  • Thursday 13:00
    BBC Radio 3