Prom 35: Liszt / Glière / Rachmaninov

Liszt’s symphonic poem (he invented the genre) is based on Victor Hugo’s poem about the legendary Mazeppa, a nobleman caught in flagrante who is tied to a wild horse which is then driven into the night.

Continuing this season’s exploration of nonstandard concertos, Ailish Tynan tackles a Gliere rarity unheard at the Proms since the 1980s.

By contrast, Rachmaninov’s gloriously lyrical Second Symphony has become a firm favourite in recent years. A sense of symphonic unity is provided by its network of thematic cross-references, which also give rise to some of the composer’s best tunes. The Adagio is especially famous for its lovely, long-breathed clarinet melody over softly murmuring violins.