Stefan Cassomenos | Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra

Fingers will blur. Acclaimed pianist Stefan Cassomenos performs the solo part of Shostakovich’s virtuosic and enjoyable Piano Concerto No 2. Exploring the multitude of sounds and personas that only piano can offer, you’ll be captivated by the fast paced, brilliant and witty outer movements that enclose a slow movement of rare lusciousness. Like Shostakovich’s concerto, Kurt Weill’s Symphony No 2 also wears two faces, but the stakes here are higher. Melodic and theatrical, Weill – perhaps best known for ‘Mack the Knife’ – composed the piece after escaping Hitler’s regime in 1933. It’s a piece of bittersweet poignancy, and of urgency and elegance.