Tchaikovsky packs a lot of emotion into his Sixth: “Without exaggeration, I have put my entire soul into this symphony.” Less than 10 days after its premiere, Tchaikovsky died. This symphony would become his requiem, a last will and testament of a composer whose music comes so directly from the heart. Barber’s Violin Concerto starts out lush and lyrical before finishing with a ride wild at breakneck speed. The program begins with an orchestral version of Valentin Silvestrov’s meditative Prayer for Ukraine. These program notes include music excerpts.

Masterworks 6 of the 23/24 Season
Performances: Jan. 19 & 20, 2024