The LA Philharmonic brings a triple bill to New York

The east coast meets the west coast in this thrilling programme from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, helmed by renowned Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel. The evening centers on Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony, followed by Edgard Varese's modernest Ameriques and a new work by Finnish composer Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Written at a time when he faced much scrutiny from the Stalinist regime, Shostakovich's Fifth was a multi-layered piece that embodied the composer's condemnations of his country's political oppression. Derived from Russian literature, this deeply moving piece is lyrical and heroic on the surface, with many hearing a subtext of critical despair beneath its triumphant militaristic pomp.