Kazuki conducts Shostakovich's 5th Symphony

The evening

There is a lot going on in this programme of exuberant, original, and occasionally spine-chilling music. Walton’s Orb and Sceptre was composed for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and while suitably ceremonial, it is tinged with Walton’s trademark rhythmic spice. The thrilling pianist Alice Sara Ott takes the solo spot in Ravel’s gorgeous, jazz-infused Concerto in G, which was inspired by a night on the town with George Gershwin. Finally, an intense encounter with one of Shostakovich’s most powerful works. Symphony No.5 moves through the full range of emotional states, from stern to humorous, from brash to vulnerable, and from triumphant to terrifying.