Another standout performance from BBC’s Philharmonic Orchestra in celebration of words and music.
The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra’s Words & Music: The Number 10 concert collates literature, poetry and classical music into a singular performance for an evening that explores the relationship between all three mediums of art. Presented as part of the BBC’s renowned Contains Strong Language festival, which returns from 24th to 27th September, the concert marks ten years since the festival was first broadcast, with the programme taking inspiration from the number ten in homage to this key milestone.
Conducted by Geoffrey Paterson, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra are joined by readers Christopher Eccleston and Julie Hesmondhalgh, alongside pianist William Bracken. The programme covers an impressive range of writers and composers, including Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Shakespeare, Zadie Smith and George Sand, with music from classical composers including Vivaldi, Chopin and Berlioz.
Under Geoffrey Paterson’s direction, the orchestra provides a strong musical presence without overwhelming the readers’ performance. The balance between spoken word and music becomes increasingly effective as the concert progresses, with the support of Christopher Eccleston and Julie Hesmondhalgh who are both excellent as readers. There is a real confidence, and humour at times, in their delivery, allowing the words to take centre stage without either performance feeling overdone. Their voices work particularly well alongside each other and the orchestra, creating a harmonious feel between the spoken word and music.
The concert also gives William Bracken plenty of opportunity to stand out on piano, and his solo of Now, O Now, I Needs Must Part is particularly impressive. It provides one of those moments where the music completely takes over the room and I felt in awe watching it. Bracken’s playing is both expressive and confident, and his solo performances demonstrate just how powerful the piano can be when it is given space to lead rather than accompany.
The performance can feel slightly difficult to follow at times if the audience is not already familiar with the pieces being performed, especially during the opening section where Tchaikovsky is revisited for 4 variations of the Orchestral Suite No 4 – ‘Mozartiana’ Op. 64. With the concert moving between different poems, extracts, and pieces of music, it can take a little while to understand how each part connects to the next.
Thankfully, this becomes much easier as the concert progresses. The different elements gradually settle into a natural rhythm, and once that rhythm is established, the changes between music and spoken word feel much more seamless and easier to follow along with.
The intimate setting of the Philharmonic Studio, which is located within MediaCity, Salford, suits the concert particularly well. Hearing the orchestra alongside classic poetry in a more contained space gives the spoken word sections a real sense of voice and immediacy, while Bracken’s piano performances benefit from the setting too.
With Geoffrey Paterson conducting the incredible BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Christopher Eccleston and Julie Hesmondhalgh uplifting the performance with their engaging reading style, and William Bracken delivering an exceptional performance on the piano, Words & Music: The Number 10 offers an interesting celebration of the connection between music and language, and I would highly recommend attending next year.
This show’s run is now concluded and took place at the Philharmonic Studio as part of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2026/27 season and Live from the BBC Philharmonic Studio.