Boulanger, Shostakovich and Dvorák | London Symphony Orchestra

Darkness, mystery and sounds that speak straight to the soul, as Nicola Benedetti and Daniel Harding perform Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto.

There’s a reason why Nicola Benedetti is one of Britain’s best-loved violinists. She’s a supreme communicator; one of those artists who seem to establish a direct connection to her listeners’ emotions. Expect playing of rare intensity and commitment as she tackles Shostakovich’s devastating First Violin Concerto – a work that she describes as “overwhelming”.

That’s the dark heart of this typically imaginative programme. It’s all about storytelling, and atmosphere too. Lilli Boulanger evokes the tingling vitality of a spring morning, while Dvorák retells a sinister fairytale from the Bohemian countryside, in music brimming with fantasy, melody and glowing orchestral colours. Under former LSO principal guest conductor Daniel Harding, every note will speak.