Scottish Ensemble

Programme to include:

Tchaikovsky Andante Cantabile, Op. 11
Shostakovich Chamber Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 110a (arr. Barshai)
Shostakovich Two Pieces, Op. 11
Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings in C major, Op. 48

Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky: two musical giants who painted their turbulent inner lives onto musical canvasses with irrepressible power.

Tchaikovsky’s dramatic themes, intense rhythms, and soaring, dance-like melodies make an immediate connection with audiences today, just as they did in the 19th century. His Andante Cantabile and the Serenade for Strings are powerful, moving works that come straight from the heart.

Written during a visit to war-torn Dresden, Shostakovich’s Chamber Symphony is a gripping portrayal of the brutality of conflict. Its jagged, powerful rhythms in the central sections are contrasted by elegiac outer movements that never fail to move the listener.