Standing Up For Truth

Referencing the concept that a butterfly flapping its wings in one location can cause a hurricane elsewhere, Dani Howard’s The Butterfly Effect reflects on how small actions can have a lasting impact, and how a decision can affect the rest of your life. After the success of his Second and Third Piano Concertos, Rachmaninov revised the First in 1917. It is very different from his later works; in exchange for less memorable melodies, this concerto incorporates elements of youthful vivacity and impetuosity in a concise and spirited fashion. The Tenth Symphony is now widely regarded as Shostakovich’s finest work in the genre – a perfect balance of expressive qualities and political meaning. This is music that sums up all that Shostakovich wanted to say about living under Stalin's oppression, inspiring us through his resilience of spirit, determination, and courage to hold on to the truth, when even truth itself was under threat.