Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto opens in eerie stillness, tension brewing beneath the surface. When the third movement arrives it strikes with pathos and raw emotion. First in the trombones, then tenderly in the woodwinds, weaving a path for the violin’s entrance, growing through variations of unfiltered, searching intensity.

American Record Guide describes Leonidas Kavakos as a ‘violinist of formidable technique’, bringing both precision and power to this extraordinary music. He navigates the concerto’s extremes with a restless passion, as though the instrument is speaking directly from his soul.

Tchaikovsky’s Fifth envelopes you in a new world. Beginning with an introspective clarinet line and aching strings, the symphony builds through a series of luminous melodies and dramatic turns. The horn solo in the second movement is warm and noble, and the third brings a graceful contrast with a lilting waltz. But it’s the finale where the true magic happens as the tragic theme from the beginning returns, this time transformed from defeat into triumph.