Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez from the BBC Proms

Elizabeth Alker celebrates summer music-making in the UK and beyond.

Throughout the season Classical Live features highlights from the BBC Proms, the world’s greatest classical music festival. Today, we hear more from the Spanish National Orchestra’s Proms debut, a Spanish-themed programme built around Rodrigo’s beguiling Concierto de Aranjuez. We return to this year’s Leipzig Bach Festival’s opening concert for music by Lassus and JS Bach, and revisit the Schubertiade Schwarzenberg in Austria to hear former Radio 3 New Generation Artist Konstantin Krimmel singing a ballad by Schubert. Also, every day this week, there's a Mozart String Quintet from the elegant rococo Leitheim Castle in Bavaria, with violist Violaine Despeyroux joining Quatuor Voce.

From the BBC Proms 2026:
Bolero
Spanish National Orchestra
David Afkham (conductor)

From Leitheim Castle Concerts 2026:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
String Quintet No. 4 in G minor, K. 516
Quatuor Voce
Violaine Despeyroux (viola)

From Leipzig Bach Festival 2026:
Johann Sebastian Bach
Prelude in C major, BWV545

Orlande de Lassus
Deus in adjuctorium

Johann Sebastian Bach
Fugue in C major, BWV545

Johannes Lang (organ)
St Thomas' Choir, Leipzig
Andreas Reize (conductor)

From the BBC Proms 2026:
Joaquin Rodrigo
Concierto de Aranjuez
Rafael Aguirre (guitar)
Spanish National Orchestra
David Afkham (conductor)

From the Schubertiade Schwarzenberg 2026:
Franz Schubert
Die Bürgschaft, D. 246
Konstantin Krimmel (baritone)
Ammiel Bushakevitz (piano)

To listen to this programme (using most smart speakers), just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Classical Live".