The London Symphony Orchestra, led by Antonio Pappano, performed Korngold’s 1945[1] Violin Concerto, Holst’s 1929[1] Persephone and Shostakovich’s No. 5 with violinist Vilde Frang at Barbican Hall.

The program was chosen to illustrate the ensemble’s ability to move from the lush, cinematic romance of Korngold to the stark, moral urgency of Shostakovich, while highlighting a rarely heard early work by Imogen Holst, sister of Gustav Holst. By juxtaposing a 20th‑century film‑score classic with a pre‑war modernist piece, and a Soviet symphonic monument, the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) underscored the breadth of its repertoire and its commitment to revisiting overlooked composers.

Frang’s tone was both silken and razor‑sharp, threading the concerto’s sweeping lyricism with startling virtuosity—The orchestra responded with a rich, brass‑laden backdrop that recalled the composer’s Hollywood days, yet Pappano kept the texture transparent, allowing the solo line to soar. The audience reacted with frequent applause, especially after the soaring cadenza that seemed to resolve the work’s underlying tension.

Holst’s Persephone, written in 1929[1], showcases an early modernist voice that blends modal inflections with an almost impressionistic palette. The piece arrived as a stark contrast, its haunting strings and muted woodwinds evoking the mythic descent into the underworld. Frang’s delicate phrasing and the orchestra’s restrained dynamics brought out the work’s quiet intensity, earning appreciative murmurs from listeners familiar with the composer’s limited output.

Pappano highlighted Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 with precise tempo choices, drawing out the underlying defiance that characterized the composer’s response to political pressure. The final movement was presented as a dramatic reading that emphasized the work’s narrative arc rather than a conventional concert performance. The LSO’s interpretation captured the piece’s emotional breadth, moving from brooding melancholy to triumphant resolution, and left the hall reverberating with the composer’s iconic final chords.

The concert, reviewed on April 17, 2026[1], was praised for its daring programming and the chemistry between Frang and the orchestra. By pairing a Hollywood‑era concerto with a forgotten early work and a Soviet masterpiece, the LSO reaffirmed its role as a cultural bridge, inviting audiences to hear familiar pieces in new contexts while discovering hidden gems from the 20th century.

“Frang’s tone was both silken and razor‑sharp, threading the concerto’s sweeping lyricism with startling virtuosity.”

The LSO’s eclectic program demonstrates how major orchestras can revitalize lesser‑known works while still delivering the blockbuster pieces audiences expect, enriching the cultural conversation and expanding listeners’ understanding of 20th‑century music.