Philharmonia Orchestra, Lahav Shani

Lahav Shani conductor/piano

Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20
Mahler Symphony No. 1 'Titan'

Still in his twenties, Lahav Shani has caught the eye of many a music commentator since winning the Gustav Mahler International Conducting Competition. A protégé of Daniel Barenboim, he's equally at home at the piano and on the conductor's podium.

This concert begins with Mozart's darkly romantic D minor concerto, whose drama and power made it a favourite of Beethoven's. Mahler's First Symphony met with misunderstanding from its first audiences. Even he didn't know what kind of piece it was, making countless revisions. But his innovative symphony has since become a classic, its evocative journey ending in a blazing finale with all seven French horns on their feet.