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Shostakovich’s Fifth culminates with a combination of woodwind and strings playing the dominant note A no less than 252 times. After 1979, the Interpretation of these repeated notes has changed dramatically. Rostropovich slowed down markedly with subsequent performances: his 2002 recording of the Finale with the LSO taking 2'/? minutes longerthan Mravinsky’s 1975 performance, the extra time largely as a result of Rostropovich’s Interpretation of these final bars. This reflects his view that ‘the strident repeated notes at the end of the symphony are like the stabbing strokes of a spear thrust into the wounds of a tormented man’. Alternatively, we might also hear echoes of the closing bars of Mahler’s Third Symphony with the same slow thumping out of the tonic-dominant D and A on timpani taking us to the conclusion. Perhaps this too reflects Shostakovich’s hope for the ultimate victory of love, with its memories of Mahler’s depiction of ‘What Love Teils Me’. It will always be very difficult to separate this great Symphony from its political associations, but its triumph of personal survival in challenging circumstances will surely continue to resonate. Timothy Dowling, November 2016 Jennifer Pike Violin Renowned for her unique artistry and compelling insight into music from the Baroque to the present day, Jennifer Pike has established herseif as one of today’s most exciting instrumentalists. Jennifer Pike first gained international recognition in 2002, when, aged 12, she became the youngest-ever winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year and the youngest major prizewinner in the Menuhin International Violin Competition. Aged 15 she made acclaimed debuts atthe BBC Proms and Wigmore Hall, and her many subsequent Proms appearances include being a ‘featured artist’ in 2009. She was invited to become a BBC New Generation Artist (2008-10), won the inaugural International London Music Masters Award and became the only classical artist ever to win the South Bank Show/Times Breakthrough Award. Performing extensively as soloist with major orchestras worldwide, highlights include concertos with the all the BBC orchestras, London Philharmonie, Brussels Philharmonie, City of Birmingham Symphony, Strasbourg Philharmonie, Oslo Philharmonie, Royal Liverpool Philharmonie, Philharmonia, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Halte, Rheinische Philharmonie, Tampere Philharmonie, Malmö Symphony, Royal Stockholm Philharmonie, Prague Symphony, Auckland Philharmonia, Singapore Symphony and Nagoya Philharmonie orchestras. She has appeared as a guest director with the BBC Philharmonie and Manchester Camerata. She made her Carnegie Hall debut playing Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending with the Chamber Orchestra of New York (also recorded for Naxos). Eminent conductors with whom she has worked include Jirf Belohlävek, Martyn Brabbins, Sir Mark Eider, James Gaffigan, Richard Hickox, Christopher Hogwood, Andris Nelsons, Sir Roger Norrington, Jukka Pekka Saraste, Leif Segerstam, Tugan Sokhiev and John Storgärds.