The star of this all-Beethoven program is one of Vladimir Ashkenazy's absolute favourite symphonies, the Pastoral.

In his Pastoral Symphony, Beethoven - a poet in sound - has gone out into the countryside and brought back the songbirds, the dancing peasants, the bubbling brook and the terrifying thunderstorm. And with it comes the intensity of feeling that comes from being in Nature.

The concert begins with the Sydney Symphony strings, capturing the transparency and inner energy of the 'Grand Fugue', originally written for four musicians. And in the Triple Concerto we get the double pleasure of three soloists in partnership (chamber music style) and the athletic virtuosity of a concerto.

Beethoven, more Beethoven and nothing but Beethoven…