San Francisco Symphony: Herbert Blomstedt and Yundi

Herbert Blomstedt leads the Symphony through music of two composers whose intense emotions often seeped into their scores. Tchaikovsky's passions coursed freely through his music, and in some cases his personal turmoil enhanced his output. His captivating First Piano Concerto may even reference a lost love. The soaring Second Symphony of Jean Sibelius captures what has made him Finland's most revered cultural hero: the work is permeated with folk-like melodies and an unmistakable sense of national pride.