Andris Nelsons conducts Beethoven and Shostakovich with Mitsuko Uchida, piano

Andris Nelsons, conductor
Mitsuko Uchida, piano

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4
SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 15

Mitsuki Uchida has, from an early age, been considered a standout interpreter of Beethoven. This is considered Beethoven’s first piano concerto wherein he broke away from the more traditional format prescribed by Mozart (an orchestral introduction with a dramatic solo entrance) and created his own way forward, letting the instrument speak for itself — intimately and delicately so — and leading the way for the rest of the ensemble. Shostakovich’s Fifteenth Symphony is his last symphony and is full of quotations, codes, clues, and ambiguity. This is an experience defying description which invites the listener to create their own personal interpretation.