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Mahler’s orchestral song-cycle Das Lied von der Erde is a powerful exploration of loss, while Britten’s Piano Concerto overflows with youthful energy. Edward Gardner conducts the ´óÏó´«Ã½ SO with soloists Stuart Skelton, Claudia Mahnke and Leif Ove Andsnes.

Tchaikovsky’s much-loved ‘Pathétique’ Symphony, with its thrilling Scherzo, and Sibelius’s colourful Karelia suite, are joined by Mieczysław Weinberg’s Cello Concerto, which remained unperformed until after Stalin’s death. Sol Gabetta is the soloist.

Semyon Bychkov traces the journey of Austro-German music. Bright with sleigh bells and wonder, Mahler’s Fourth Symphony glances back to Classical models, while Glanert takes Brahms into the 21st century in his lyrical Weites Land.

Mahler's bright and sunny Fourth Symphony is paired with Shostakovich’s witty, incisive Second Piano Concerto.

Sakari Oramo conducts Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony – Western music’s most powerful statement of universal fellowship. It is paired with two world premieres, including a much-anticipated Piano Concerto by Dieter Ammann, with soloist Andreas Haefliger.

Tracing a thrilling journey from doubt to triumph, Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 2 sits at the centre of this concert from Cristian Măcelaru and the ´óÏó´«Ã½ SO. It is matched for drama by Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2, performed here by Seong-Jin Cho.

Elgar’s great choral work, The Music Makers, is the musical culmination of a career, drawing together quotations from many of the composer’s best-loved pieces. Vaughan Williams’s luminous ‘Tallis’ Fantasia and Hugh Wood’s Comus complete the programme.