The Philadelphia Orchestra: Ravel and Shostakovich January 18, 2013

La Valse is one of the greatest orchestral showpieces ever written. A master of orchestration, Ravel begins with an innocent waltz that builds to a raucous climax, only to come crashing down at the end in spectacular fashion. Shostakovich, equally brilliant in his use of the orchestra, composed some of his most profound—and politically subversive—music in his Fifth Symphony. Among the greatest of the current generation of composers, Osvaldo Golijov draws from styles ranging from klezmer to tango to create a musical voice that is uniquely his own. His new Violin Concerto is presented by the brilliant Leonidas Kavakos. It receives its American premiere in these performances.

Official Website: http://www.philorch.org