Prom 54: Michael Nyman Band August 25, 2009

Now best known for his soundtracks to such movies as The Piano, Gattaca and Wonderland, Michael Nyman started out as a musicologist, editing scores by Handel and Purcell; as a critic he coined the term 'Minimalism'; and, as a composer he first made his name by putting the music of classical masters through the Minimalist mill to generate raunchy, rhythmically propulsive, raucously energetic new works, such as his score for Peter Greenaway's 1982 film The Draughtsman's Contract and the grief-frozen Memorial (which featured in Greenaway's later The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover) – both of which are Purcell-based.

Now, to celebrate the year's two big Baroque anniversaries the Michael Nyman Band makes its Proms debut with a new work echoing the Purcell and Handel pieces heard in Prom 53.

There will be no interval

Michael Nyman
The Draughtsman's contract - selection (c23)
The Musicologist Scores (BBC commission: world premiere) (c20 mins)
Six Celan Songs - Blume; Psalm (10 mins)
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover - Memorial (c12)

Anu Komsi soprano
Michael Nyman Band
Michael Nyman director/piano

Official Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2009/whatson/2508.shtml#prom54