Prom 25 – Shostakovich’s Last Symphony and a Concerto for Theremin

Part of the BBC Proms.

John Storgards and the BBC Philharmonic conjure up shifting colours and evocative soundscapes in a programme rooted in geography and identity. Finnish composer Kalevi Aho’s theremin concerto channels the instrument’s mysterious, almost shamanistic quality in musical sketches of the eight annual seasons observed by Lapland’s Sámi people, while Kaija Saariaho reflects broad Californian views in the bold sonic gestures of Vista. Surveying not a place but an entire life, Shostakovich’s final symphony offers a dark, enigmatic conclusion to a career shaped by conflict, political oppression and loss.