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Paavo Järvi: Rachmaninoff, Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 44

Episode number: 1

Overview: To start off this season, we present Rakhmaninov's Symphony No. 3, a masterpiece by one of Russia's foremost composers. The masterpiece was written after Rakhmaninov had left his home and emigrated to the United States. The conductor is Paavo Järvi, the chief conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra. He says the piece stands at the pinnacle of Russian Romantic symphonies.

Vladimir Fedoseyev: Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36

Episode number: 2

Overview: In the second episode, we present Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4., which Tchaikovsky himself referred as the best work he had done, with much satisfaction at the time of the completion of the work. The conductor is the Russian maestro Vladimir Fedoseyev.

Herbert Blomstedt: Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55, “Eroica”

Episode number: 3

Overview: In the final episode of this season, we present Beethoven's Symphony No. 3, “Eroica”. The conductor is Herbert Blomstedt. The piece has long been performed with large orchestras, but now there is renewed interest in smaller sized orchestras, with fewer string players. Blomstedt has taken this approach and it was successful with very fresh and confident performance.