St Petersburg Symphony Orchestra

About

Ben Palmer conductor
Peter Donohoe piano (replacing Noriko Ogawa)

SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 1 28’
RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No. 1 26’
Interval
PROKOFIEV Romeo & Juliet: Suite 34’

The hugely talented and versatile Ben Palmer conducts the St Petersburg Symphony Orchestra in our second evening of all-Russian repertoire. Shostakovich’s astonishingly assured First Symphony lays out his youthful manifesto of where the symphonic form might go in the twentieth century, with an appreciative nod in the direction of tradition. More than anything, it’s great fun too! Prokofiev’s popular Romeo and Juliet is an inspired take on the plight of Shakespeare’s “starcrossed lovers”. It simply oozes drama, great melodies and extraordinary orchestral textures.

Between these two works Peter Donohoe performs Rachmaninov’s First Piano Concerto, a work of youthful vigour, soul-searching tunes and taxing virtuosity. What a perfect way to end the season!