The 85th season of Henry Wood Promenade Concerts opens with the mammoth Third Symphony by Mahler. Contralto soloist, women's and boys' choruses, and a huge orchestra give glorious expression to Mahler's vision of the whole chain of life and nature. Tonight's concert is relayed live in stereo direct from the Royal Albert Hall.

In the first of six programmes recorded at this year's Henry Wood Promenade Concerts the distinguished Soviet pianist Emil Gilels makes one of his rare television appearances, playing the well-loved Grieg Piano Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra leader IRVINE ARDITTI conducted by Colin Davis. The concert also includes a 20th-century masterwork Symphony in Three Movements by Stravinsky. Introduced by RICHARD BAKER.

In the second of this series of Henry Wood Promenade Concerts recorded at the Royal Albert Hall London The Halle Orchestra leader MICHAEL DAVIS is under its principal conductor James Loughran Janet Baker (mezzo-soprano) sings the dramatic scena and aria: Ah! Perfido by Beethoven The concert includes Symphony No 4, in E minor, by Brahms MICHAEL RODD introduces the programme and talks to some of the Hallé players about the special character of their orchestra.

In the third of this series of Henry Wood Promenade Concerts recorded at the Royal Albert Hall , London Iona Brown is the violin soloist and also directs the ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN-IN-THE-FIELDS in two masterpieces from Mozart's youth: the Violin Concerto No 3 in G major (K 216) and the Symphony No 29 in A major (K 201). Introduced by RICHARD BAKER

In the fourth of this series of Henry Wood Promenade Concerts recorded at the Royal Albert Hall. London Simon Rattle conducts the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra leader RAYMOND OVENS in a , John Ireland centenary concert. John Ireland was born 100 years ago this month. In tonight's concert the young English pianist Philip Fowke . makes his Prom debut in a performance of one of Ireland s best-known works, the Piano Concerto in E flat.

Esther Rantzen is again the television hostess for the ever-popular Viennese Night with the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra leader DENNIS SIMONS conducted by Janos Ftirst with Teresa Cahill (soprano). The Strauss family provide most of tonight's programme, with TERESA CAHILL singing the ' Csardas ' from Die Fledermaus. There are two waltzes, the Radetzky March, and the programme opens with Suppe s overture: Light Cavalry. The fifth of the Promenade Concerts recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

BBC2 joins Radio 3 in stereo for the first half of tonight's concert of Russian music, live from the Royal Albert Hall. BBC Symphony Orchestra leader BELA DEKANY under its principal conductor Gennadi Rozhdestvensky play Rimsky-Korsakov's colourful Russian Easter Festival Overture and Victoria Postnikova is the soloist in the romantic Piano Concerto No 1 by Rachmaninov The concert also includes the first British performance of Cantus to the memory of Benjamin Britten by the Estonian composer Arvo Part Introduced by MICHAEL BERKELEY

In the last of six programmes recorded at the 1979 Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, a rare appearance on British television by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under their principal conductor Zubin Mehta with Daniel Barenboim as soloist in the Piano Concerto No 4 in G major by Beethoven DAVID JACOBS introduces the concert, traces the unique history of this famous orchestra, and talks to these two celebrated artists.

Introduced by Richard Baker. BBC1 joins Radio 2 in stereo for the second half of tonight's closing concert of the 85th season of Henry Wood Promenade Concerts live from the Royal Albert Hall.