Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra

Ravel/ Elgar / Shostakovich Concert

ravel                          

La Valse

(13 minutes)

Elgar

Cello Concerto                  

(30 minutes)

Shostakovich

Symphony No. 5                 

(45 minutes)

Benjamin Zander, conductor

Zlatomir Fung, cello

 

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

It is with great anticipation that I await my first opportunity to work with local 22-year-old cellist Zlatomir Fung, gold medalist in the most recent Tchaikovsky Cello Competition. Zlatomir’s dazzling virtuosity, sparkling intelligence, and nobility of expression made him an ideal protagonist for the Elgar.

Ravel’s La Valse is possibly the most overtly dramatic work that the composer wrote, an incremental deconstruction of the Viennese Waltz that by the end, whether by accident or design, turns virtually apocalyptic. 

The second half of the concert is devoted to Shostakovich’s great Fifth Symphony. It is an enormous work – not so much in its length as in its emotional reach. It was the piece that placed Shostakovich front and center on the world’s musical stage, proclaimed him as the foremost composer of the Soviet Union in the 1930s, and, by giving the illusion of placating the authorities, probably saved his life. Since then, it has come to be regarded as music’s greatest symbol of the power of the artist to raise his voice in protest in even the darkest of times. -Benjamin Zander


Edward Elgar Cello Concerto - 30 minutes

Dmitri Shostakovich Symphony No. 5  - 30 minutes

  • Dmitri Shostakovich completed work on Symphony No. 5 and it received its premiere on November 21, 1937, by the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra. It was so well received that the director of the Leningrad Philharmonic observed that the ovation lasted for over a half hour.

  • In an article by Shostakovich in the Moscow newspaper, he is quoted as saying his 5th Symphony "is a Soviet artist's creative response to justified criticism."

  • While the composer appeared to have placated the authorities with this piece, the public viewed the piece as an expression of their suffering under Stalin.

 

All dates, repertoire, venues, and artists subject to change.

Sunday, February 27, 2022
3:00PM / Symphony Hall
There will be no pre-concert Guide to the music with Benjamin Zander before the concert.

 

Contact boxoffice@bostonphil.org for questions about the livestream or On Demand.

COVID-19 CONCERT POLICIES

  • All visitors must present full proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test each time they enter Symphony Hall. Fully vaccinated is defined as having had your second COVID-19 vaccination at least two weeks before your concert date.

    Accepted vaccines include those authorized (either fully or for emergency use) by the Food and Drug Administration or the World Health Organization.

    Options for proof of vaccination:

    • Vaccination card
    • Photo of vaccination card
    • Digital vaccine record

    Acceptable COVID-19 tests:

    • PCR test taken within the last 72 hours
    • Antigen test taken within the last 24 hours

     

  • Proof of a negative test can be in the form of a photo or email of negative test results from a clinic, testing center, medical professional, or a time-stamped photo of an at-home test.

  • While indoors at Symphony Hall everyone 2 years and older must wear a CDC-approved mask that covers their nose and mouth regardless of vaccination status.

 Review the current Covid-19 policies for further information. 

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Symphony Hall Policies