The London Philharmonic's Principal Guest Conductor, Karina Canellakis, leads an explosive concert of Shostakovich and Brahms.

Soloist Pablo Ferrández, Prizewinner at the XV International Tchaikovsky Competition, begins the concert by tackling Shostakovich's demanding First Cello Concerto. He expertly leans into the nuances of one of 20th-century music’s ultimate thrillers, tackling the infamous cadenza with calculated patience, ''like a spider coaxing its prey'' ( Bachtrack).

Then, Karina Canellakis takes the concert up a notch with Brahm's stunning last symphony. The piece begins softly, as Brahms approaches the end of a lifetime's struggle, then takes a turn striding fearlessly into the raging storm. Canellakis pulls out ''all the tricks of the trade in the Passacaglia finale, moving effortlessly between waves of dark power and punctuating blocks of sound'' (Bachtrack).

This concert was filmed on 21 February 2024 at the Royal Festival Hall

Program:
Shostakovich - Cello Concerto No. 1
Brahms - Symphony No. 4