Synopsis

The BBC Proms are hosting a momentous occasion as Daniel Barenboim undertakes his complete cycle of Beethoven symphonies. He will be the first conductor to perform all nine works in a single Proms season since Henry Wood in 1942. The undertaking begins with Beethoven's First and Second Symphonies, rendered by his renowned West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. This ensemble, celebrated for uniting Arab and Israeli musicians, is frequently described not as an orchestra *for* peace, but as one actively wor