Remarkable Prom of extraordinary musicality – the work of Jon Hopkins

The Albert Hall was packed yesterday for the Prom of the music of the extraordinary British composer and pianist Jon Hopkins. Hopkins is an artist of great originality comfortable in the complex cerebral world of electronic music but also, as we saw, when a full conventional symphony orchestra performs orchestrated versions of his work. (Left, Hopkins relaxed after the concert)

The main piece, “Athos” ( a premiere) was arranged for orchestra by James Buckley who conducted the concert. There were eight other pieces orchestrated by different musicians , mostly orchestra versions of works from Hopkins’ albums.

The BBC Symphony Orchestra and a large choir performed without an electronic gizmo in sight. Which is not to say that the music was conventional ! It’s originality came from its inherent aversion to stridency. I have rarely been to a concert with a large orchestra where there was such a presence of calm and absence of dissonance.

Lest anyone think that the absence of ratatatat led to anything bland or dull I urge you to listen to the concert on BBC Sounds. You might do that laying flat in a darkened room with nothing but the music around you.

Many of the pieces were all or part choral. The human voice more than any instrumentation has the ability to engage intimately with the listener. With a choir of the quality of the BBC Singers, and music of Hopkins’ understated brilliance, these were unforgettable moments.

Hopkins performed himself a couple of his compositions for piano and electric guitar (Leo Abrahams) and these were also contemplative and tuneful. I was reminded of Peter Maxwell Davies “Farewell to Stromness” a work that also showed that lyrical accessibility and simplicity doesn’t have to be bland.

Hopkins is unique . For me there were echoes of John Adams, Steve Reich and Philip Glass, but these were only echoes. There is little derivative about this composer’s work. You sense that he will succeed with whatever he chooses to do next – still only in his early forties it’s an exciting prospect.