Composers have always treated the past as a jewel casket to be plundered, or a dressing-up box full of musical apparel they can put on to create an alternative identity.
Some might call it post-modern but it’s a lot older than that. In last night’s Prom, Britten Sinfonia, directed by violinist Thomas Gould, offered three pieces by composers who all dug into the past for inspiration, while remaining true to themselves.
