Russian National Orchestra Comes to Benaroya Wednesday

Tomorrow night is your one chance this week to hear the Russian National Orchestra live. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at Benaroya Hall, and the program includes Tchaikovsky's Elegy for String Orchestra, Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9 in E-flat major, and Dvorak's Cello Concerto in B minor. (Tickets are $32-$106). With the RNO in Seattle is young cellist Sergey Antonov, the son of a Moscow Conservatory cello teacher and a cellist with the Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra. Rostropovich is a big fan.

Tom Keogh charts the orchestra's meteoric rise since its founding in 1990 as an orchestra independent of state control. You could be forgiven for thinking the RNO exists mainly to give classical music critics the chance to outdo each other with superlatives. When they recorded Tchaikovsky's Pathétique, Gramophone labeled it the best ever, asking, "Should human beings be able to play like this?"

Shostakovich's ninth symphony is notable for its brevity (it generally comes in at under 30 minutes) and for its joyful, light mood. In fact, it has made listeners think of both Mozart and Haydn. Written to celebrate the Russian victory over the Nazis, it contained none of the thunder and tragedy expected from Shostakovich, who knew from brass and drums, and was yet another reason the Party felt like Shostakovich just didn't get what they were trying to do.

So while the Tchaikovsky and Dvorak will sweep you away, no doubt, the Shostakovich should be something to behold as well, and not--this time--because when you hear the music and close your eyes, you think of Stalin.