Prokofiev's "2nd Violin Concerto" dates from 1935, the same year as Berg's "Violin Concerto". Each of these works had it's premeire, synchronously so, in Spain (Prokofiev: Madird, Berg: Barcelona).

Brahms came to writing symphonies very late in his career as he (paraphrasing sources) "felt the shadow of Beethoven looming over him"...the 4th Symphony is a tour de force from it's wistful opening to the dramatic finale.

One of tonight's works is popularly known as "The Clock"  because of the "ticking" rhythm throughout the second movement.

Leonard Slatkin has always been a champion of American classical music.

History is full of examples of "What if?"s. What if Mussorgsky's artist friend Viktor Hartmann had lived longer? Would we have "Pictures at an Exhibition"?