Did Mark-Antony Turnage have a bit of fun with Hammered Out, his recent Proms commission? Tim Rutherford-Johnson, of The Rambler, drew attention to the fact that the opening minutes of the work bear an uncanny resemblance to Beyoncé's "Single Ladies." Nothing in Turnage's commentary indicated a Beyoncé connection, but once you listen to the mash-up above — and see the mischievous expression on David Robertson's face — you'll find it hard to believe that the composer didn't have "Single Ladies" on heavy rotation in his studio. The entire piece is basically Variations on a Theme of Beyoncé. The Proms performance will be online through Wednesday. Turnage's next opera, Anna Nicole, drops in February.
