Poetry and Defiance | London Philharmonic Orchestra

Shostakovich’s tenth symphony sets its own agenda. The Soviets called it an ‘optimistic tragedy’, but the music tells an altogether more subversive story: a defiant act of self-assertion in the face of official tyranny. It’s perfect for a conductor as energising and committed as Karina Canellakis, and it will make a truly monumental conclusion to a concert that begins with Beethoven at his most poetic, as well as his most passionate. ‘Beethoven, more than any other composer, represents for me the ultimate triumph of joy over sorrow’, says our soloist Stephen Hough; expect visionary playing from one of the most inspirational and brilliant pianists of our time.