BBC SO/Stutzmann

In the combination of choir and orchestra, Brahms found a perfect medium for spellbinding visions of paradise and heartfelt lamentations for lost love. Both are enshrined in the hushed tones of Nänie, Song of the Fates and the Song of Destiny, for which debuting conductor Nathalie Stutzmann marshals the full forces of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. 

The atmosphere intensifies with a symphonic drama by a composer who always wore his heart on his sleeve. Tchaikovsky conducted this work’s premiere just nine days before his death, the cause of which remains unsolved. Some theories point to suicide (possibly under duress), each connected to different relationships the gay composer was involved in at the time. Whatever the true story, the music is the most emotional symphony Tchaikovsky wrote – a vivid, moving concert hall experience.