Remaining incredibly fresh and abounding with memorable melodies, the Ninth Symphony describes Dvořák’s own spiritual and emotional journey from his intense longing for his beloved Bohemia to the thrill of the “New World” and its varied peoples. Despite some initial criticism that it was unplayable, Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto lost little time in establishing itself as a concert favourite. One of the more demanding works for the violin virtuoso, it is more remarkable still for its unwavering melodic inspiration and passionate expression of human feeling. Tchaikovsky speaks to us from the heart, using the voice of the solo violin as his medium. Schumann’s overture to his sole opera sets the mood and foreshadows the story’s path from a brooding intensity to an ecstatic joy.