Sibelius’s Second Symphony | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Rossini, Saint-Säens and Sibelius at his sunniest: timeless melodies loved the world over.

Sibelius thought of his Second Symphony as a great river flowing to the sea, others have heard a musical portrait of a nation waking to freedom. But from pastoral beginnings to a soul stirring finish, it is music of elemental power, spring like freshness and truly epic grandeur.

Our Finnish guest conductor, Emilia Hoving (something of a Sibelius expert), takes us on Sibelius’s journey today, and shares the glowing colours (and unforgettable tunes) of Rossini’s ever-popular music for William Tell.

In between, expect elegance, ardour and a very French kind of romance, as International Tchaikovsky Competition For Young Musicians winner – and RPO Artist-in-Residence – Zlatomir Fung returns to play Saint-Saëns’s dashing First Cello Concerto. You’ll believe a cello can fly.