Philharmonia: Mozart, Dvořák, Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony follows a familiar musical trajectory from despair to triumph over its four movements. Though declared a failure both critically and by the composer himself after its first performances, it has become one of his most popular works today, and was particularly championed during World War II. One of the most notable performances was by the Leningrad Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1941 during the Siege of Leningrad, which was also broadcast live to London. As the second movement began, bombs started to fall nearby, but the orchestra continued playing until the final note.