Obsessive, passionate, rapturous – Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique takes the drama of unrequited love to new extremes. In gaudy colours, he portrays contrasting scenes and emotions: infatuation, a swirling ball, painful doubts, then a murder and execution, and finally, a bizarre witches’ sabbath. Johannes Brahms’ Double Concerto provides a sharp contrast, with its classical clarity and emotional depth. Under the baton of Tugan Sokhiev, the two solo voices are performed by our First Concertmaster, Noah Bendix-Balgley, and our First Principal Cello, Bruno Delepelaire.