Schumann and Shostakovich: A Lifetime's Quest for Freedom

American conductor David Zinman gives us two masterpieces that plumb the depths of human experience. Schumann’s only Piano Concerto, his self-described “musical poem,” is a compelling expression of freedom, lyricism, and originality under the expert reading of Canadian pianist Louis Lortie. Shostakovich’s last symphony casts an appeased, hope-filled gaze on life’s unfolding phases, concluding one of the most intense symphonic cycles penned in the 20th century.