Shostakovich’s Violin Concert No1 and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No3

Kelly Rice, Director of Development and Lars Lih, Musicologist from McGill’s Schulich School of Music visited the NAC in January 2018 to hear John Storgårds conduct the NAC Orchestra and violinist Guy Braunstein perform two iconic works: Shostakovich’s 1st Violin Concerto and Rachmaninoff’s 3rd Symphony. Both composers were Russian, but had different experiences of Russia in the 20th century. Kelly gets Lars to tell us about the contrast between the two composers and how they were perceived in their time. Was Rachmaninoff a propagandist? Did Shostakovich take the wrong path? Ask yourself that next time you listen to these great works.