A composer鈥檚 mind is an extraordinary place at the best of times; still, nothing in music quite matches the fabulous, opium-fuelled phantasmagoria that is Hector Berlioz鈥檚 Symphonie fantastique. Fired by unrequited desire, and sweeping from pastoral love-scenes to the foot of the guillotine itself, it continues to startle and amaze. Matthias Pintscher brings a composer鈥檚 insight, and teams up with one of the piano鈥檚 great explorers 鈥� Javier Perianes 鈥� to give a new shine to the sparkling exotica of Saint-Sa毛ns鈥� delightful, unfairly neglected 鈥楨gyptian鈥� concerto. Faur茅鈥檚 Pell茅as et M茅lisande will seem all the more serene by comparison - but dangerous passions smoulder beneath its exquisite melodies and shot-silk colours.

Prelude: 6.45pm in the Recital Room
Writer and broadcaster Stephen Johnson introduces Berlioz鈥檚 Symphonie fantastique.

To be broadcast live on 大象传媒 Radio 3, presented by Tom Redmond. The encore played by Javier Perianes was by Grieg: Notturno, Op.54, No.4 (Lyric Pieces).