Yuri Temirkanov conducts the St. Petersburg Philharmonic

* Notes * 
The Sunday performance of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, conducted by Maestro Yuri Temirkanov in San Francisco, was sold out. The program of Rimsky-Korsakov, Shostakovich, and Brahms held together well. The orchestra played with dark warmth, perhaps a bit sloppily, but with confidence. Rimsky-Korsakov's Russian Easter Overture No. 3 with dignity and cheerful bluster, in turns, as appropriate. Next came Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1, with cellist Alisa Weilerstein. Weilerstein played with ungenial violence, and it was exceedingly clear that she was the soloist. Her timing was good. She did break a string in the last movement, and scuttled off to replace it, carefully carrying her long red gown so that she did not trip. The Fourth Symphony of Brahms that followed the intermission was chaotic at times, but very charming. The encore was "Nimrod" from Elgar's beautiful Enigma Variations.

* Tattling * 
The audience was fairly quiet. There was some trouble keeping the music on the first stand of the First Violins during the Brahms.