Former SZSO director returns with classics

Tchaikovsky's works not only represent the pinnacle of Russian art, but are also a significant progression in symphonic music after Beethoven. Rachmaninoff, celebrated as both a remarkable composer of late Russian Romanticism and one of the most distinguished pianists of the 20th century, bestowed upon the world an extensive repertoire of piano compositions, earning him the well-deserved moniker of “Piano Poet.”

To mark the 130th anniversary of Tchaikovsky’s passing and the 80th anniversary since Rachmaninoff left this world, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra (SZSO) will perform two masterpieces by the great musicians this Friday, conducted by its former artistic director Christian Ehwald. The program will include Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18” and Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36.”

Christian Ehwald

One of the most beloved piano showpieces in the symphonic repertoire — one that has been used in too many films to list — Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2” emerged from a terrible case of writer’s block. After being depressed by his the critical flop of his first symphony, the composer turned to hypnotherapy to break his internal logjam. What resulted was an outpouring of captivating melody, unfolding effortlessly with lush Romantic harmony, which earned breathless praise at its premiere in 1901 that featured the composer himself as piano soloist.

Shen Lu

Chinese pianist Shen Lu will lead the audience through the concerto’s emotional peaks and valleys with his superb skills and passionate interpretation this Friday. Shen earned his bachelor’s degree from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, his master’s from the New England Conservatory in Boston and his artist diploma at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Top winner of the 2014 Hilton Head Piano Competition in the United States, he went on to collaborate with such conductors as Daniel Meyer, Zhang Guoyong and Li Xincao. He currently holds a teaching position at Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou.

Composed in 1877, Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 4” was the work that won him international fame. The all-pervasive melancholy and tempestuous emotions that drip from the first to the last note of this piece resulted from a confluence of personal events and the composer’s awareness of the power of fate in determining a person’s destiny. Having carried its listeners from gloom to melancholy to slow recovery to life-affirming energy, the work ultimately concludes with Tchaikovsky’s prescription for happiness: Forget one’s own pains and feel the joy of fellow human beings. The four-movement piece has always been a fan favorite because of its uniquely beautiful melodies, delicate structure and sophisticated orchestral techniques.

Ehwald, a professor with the Hanns Eisler Conservatory in Berlin, served as SZSO’s artistic director between 2008 and 2016.

Time: 8 p.m., Nov. 3

Tickets: 50-880 yuan

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (深圳音乐厅)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D