Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4

Passion defined Tchaikovsky’s life, and the tempests of his emotional life inspired some of the most beautiful music ever written. His Fourth Symphony took shape during a troubled time and encompasses heartbreaking swings between despair and exuberant hope. It is led here by an audience favorite, the “expressive and imaginative” Xian Zhang. The concert opens with Britten's Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell*, perhaps more well-known as The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, but heard here in its version without narration. Principal Cello Hai-Ye Ni takes center stage for Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 2.

*Historic Philadelphia Orchestra world or United States premieres 

These concerts are part of the Ellenberg Philadelphia Orchestra Soloist Spotlight Series.