Moscow Philharmonic

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3 October 2019 | 7.30pm - 10.30pm
Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall
Ticket Prices: £9.00 - £37.00

Yuri Simonov conductor Peter Donohoe piano Tchaikovsky Marche Slave Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 4 Tchaikovsky Swan Lake (Highlights) Khachaturian Suite from Gayaneh The Moscow Philharmonic bring a spirited programme to Nottingham, beginning with Tchaikovsky's Marche Slave of 1876.

This unabashed flag-waver is a stirring entrée to Rachmaninov's final concerto which broke decisively from the lush textures of his previous concertos, embracing sounds more associated with Ravel and Gershwin.

It's no less virtuosic, though, making huge demands of the soloist. In our case it's Peter Donohoe, one of Britain's best-loved pianists, who takes up the challenge. Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake began life as a modest family entertainment, yet its masterful characterisation and glorious melodies ensured that it translated perfectly to the concert hall, a distinction likewise enjoyed by Aram Khachaturian's 1942 ballet, Gayaneh.

Its upbeat depiction of an Armenian collective farm stayed on the right side of the Soviet authorities and gave the composer one of his biggest hits. This Suite includes seven of the ballet's most vibrant numbers, not least the flashing Sabre Dance.