Boston Symphony Orchestra / Andris Nelsons / Lang Lang

The immensely popular Lang Lang launches his complete cycle of Beethoven concertos with the very first, a work that alternates between dreaminess and bite. Following this, the Boston Symphony and Andris Nelsons deploy the magic of Stravinsky's The Firebird. Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 presents itself as a three-act portrait of radiant vitality: the first movement reaches its peak in a virtuoso cadence, the next rises in a meditation suspended in time, before the finale overflows with irresistible energy. This vital breath finds a shimmering echo in Stravinsky's The Firebird. Commissioned by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, this lush score was a masterstroke that immediately established the composer's reputation. While still part of the heritage of his mentor Rimsky-Korsakov, it surpasses it with unprecedented orchestral audacity and virtuosity, taking us to the edges of the marvelous.