Russia has many faces, as is well known. At this concert, two of them will pass by, and they are completely different. Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto is a highly romantic piece with penetrating melodies and virtuoso fireworks. Shostakovich wrote his Fifteenth Symphony in Soviet Russia. It was supposed to be cheerful music, but it did not become so. Still, there is room for jolly winks and even sounds of children’s toys.

Like many masterpieces, Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto was initially maligned. Just because of its rock-solid opening theme, one can hardly imagine that. The many catchy melodies are based on Ukrainian folk music. You can therefore expect a spirited performance, as soloist Anna Fedorova is Ukrainian. In the Netherlands, in addition to her concerts, she devotes herself to the musical education of her refugee compatriots. Shostakovich composed his last symphony as a sixty-year-old. “I wanted to write a joyful piece, but it turned out differently,” the composer said. Indeed, it sounds like he is saying goodbye to life here: as playful as the work begins, the finale sounds macabre.