BBC Proms - 2009 - Prom 33: Antheil, Adams, Bartok, Stravinsky - Part 1

From the Royal Albert Hall, London. Presented by Sarah Walker. Piano Day at the Proms concludes, in extrovert style, with a plethora of pianists joining forces (and hands!) for some of the most striking multiple-keyboard music in the repertoire. The notorious Ballet mecanique by George Antheil, 20th-century bad boy of American music, is performed by an ensemble which includes four pianos, a large array of percussion and two propellers. In John Adams' Grand Pianola Music, two pianos are joined by other instruments for a piece which references everything from Beethoven sonatas to marching band music, and was inspired by a dream of limo-sized Steinways chasing Adams down California's Interstate Highway 5. Tatiana Monogarova (soprano) Elena Manistina (mezzo-soprano) Vsevolod Grivnov (tenor) Kostas Smoriginas (bass) John Constable, Alissa Firsova, Rolf Hind, Tom Poster, Ashley Wass, Llyr Williams (pianos) Philip Moore, Simon Crawford-Phillips (pianos) Colin Currie, Sam Walton (percussion) BBC Singers Synergy Vocals London Sinfonietta Edward Gardner (conductor) Antheil: Ballet mecanique John Adams: Grand Pianola Music.