Philharmonia Orchestra: Shostakovich – Symphony No.5

Rising-star conductor Xian Zhang leads a performance of Shostakovich’s towering Fifth Symphony and Brahms’ radiant Violin Concerto.

The possible hidden meanings within Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony, composed under political pressure from Stalin’s regime, have long fascinated audiences and critics.
Along the way, expect a beautiful melody evoking Carmen, circus-inspired spectacle, and majestic brass chords.
But beyond the Soviet heroism is something more: framed by the musical drama lies the hushed religious contemplation of the third movement, the tender heart of the symphony that moved the audience to tears at its 1937 premiere.

In the first half, Alina Pogostkina, winner of the 2005 International Sibelius Violin Competition, performs Brahms’s memorable Violin Concerto. The gentle second movement features one of the most heartfelt melodies written for violin.

Programme

Brahms Violin Concerto

Interval

Shostakovich Symphony No.5

Performers

Philharmonia Orchestra
Xian Zhang conductor
Alina Pogostkina violin