Neglected composers and a blockbuster from Jaime Martín and BBC NOW

So much for legacies. Take Gustav Holst, for example. He will always have The Planets. But what about the likes of Dora Pejačević, credited with writing the first modern Croatian symphony, and Grace Williams, another prolific composer who was also the first British woman to write a film score. They may be known to some, but could hardly be described as well-known. And as if to accentuate the contrast in fortunes, the works from Pejačević and Williams in the first half of this concert were making their first Proms appearances, whereas The Planets has been performed nearly every year at the Proms since its premiere 105 years ago.

It sometimes takes an anniversary to bring a composer’s music to light, so fair play to the Proms team for continuing to mark such occasions and pulling all manner of musical rabbits out of the hat. Dora Pejačević’s centenary celebrations continued at the Proms with her Overture in D minor, late Romantic in style but with a sharper edge, hinting at the harsher reality in the aftermath of the First World War. It was brief but full of drama and with warmth and lyrical beauty, characteristic of Pejačević’s mix of styles as a self-confessed Wagnerian. Her keen eye for orchestral colour was capitalised by Proms debutant Jaime Martín, enthusiastically and confidently directing the impressive BBC National Orchestra of Wales. 

Neglected for decades after its premiere in 1950, Grace Williams’ Violin Concerto has more recently been given a new lease of life. It is a curious but enticing piece, starting with two slow movements before a brisker third, and seeing the solo violin interchanging between taking the melodic lead and weaving itself into the orchestral texture. 

The soloist was another Proms debutant, Geneva Lewis, who provided mellifluous flow and a sweetness of tone that lent itself comfortably to Williams’ lyricism, with Martín carefully shaping the orchestra’s supporting narrative. Lewis captured a real sense of yearning in the two slow movements, before the jaunty passages of the faster third movement provided some contrast. There was an overall sense that the piece was searching for a way to go, but didn’t resolve before its abrupt ending.

A perennial Proms favourite, we sometimes forget how accomplished The Planets really is. Martín made sure the BBC NOW showed all its fineries, excelling in Mars, suitably menacing and violent, and Saturn, ominous and carefully shaped, despite a minor intonation issue, and with a terrifying climax. Venus floated serenely, enhanced by a classy horn solo, but felt a little deliberate, as did Mercury, which was flighty and delicate but could have been crisper. 

Jupiter was a jovial romp, toes silently tapping along, and Uranus, whilst a little stodgy, remained jocular and vibrant. The wonderful upper voices of the London Symphony Chorus graced Neptune, albeit with a slight slip in synchronisation at one point, but the ethereal mystery prevailed. It might not have been knocked out of the park this time, but it is thanks to works such as this that classical music reaches wider audiences.