The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), under the baton of Michael Laus, presents two masterworks: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and Cello Concerto No 1 by Shostakovich featuring cellist Konstantin Manaev. Beethoven Fifth Symphony is the symphony that revolutionized music forever. Beethoven obsessively pursues the opening four notes throughout the entire first movement and much of the other three. The essence of Beethoven’s genius was that he could take the simplest building blocks of the classical style and construct radically new, monumental works with them. In Cello Concerto No 1 by Dmitri Shostakovich we also find a four note motif which opens the first movement (Allegretto). The four notes are derived from the DSCH motif, a series of pitches which correspond to the composer’s initials using the German alphabet, and which return throughout his works. Similar to Beethoven’s opening four notes, this bold motif repeats with obsessive persistence. This concert also includes the orchestral work Cataclysmus by Maltese composer Kristian Schembri. This production is produced by the Malta International Arts Festival, organised by Festivals Malta.