Synopsis
The first in a Friday-evening series of outstanding concerts from this year's Proms features some distinguished visitors, the Cleveland Orchestra. Over the last ten years a special rapport has developed between the Clevelanders, now America's most recorded orchestra, and their German conductor Christoph von Dohnanyi (grandson of the composer). Tonight they combine to perform one of the classics of the symphonic repertoire, Beethoven's Fifth. Before that they accompany the baritone Jose van Dam as he sings Mahler's sublime Ruckert Lieder, settings of verses by the German romantic poet Friedrich Ruckert. Presented by James Naughtie. Dohnanyi was recently nominated Conductor of the Year by the magazine Musical America for his "outstanding achievements with the Cleveland and his extraordinary contribution to the world of music". In the interval there is a feature on the orchestra's relationship with its local community.