TWO great orchestras make welcome return visits to The Anvil in May.

On Friday, 18 May, the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra performs the fifth symphonies of both Beethoven and Shostakovich.

Beethoven’s fifth builds from the most famous opening in music, through its four movements from dramatic struggle to a blazing, triumphant conclusion.

Arguments continue to rage over the true meaning of Shostakovich’s most performed and recorded symphony, but it remains a work of extraordinary emotional and musical tension, poised on a knife edge between survival and disaster.

Michael Sanderling, currently in his seventh season as principal conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic, conducts. The orchestra is currently in the middle of a recording project which combines all the Beethoven and Shostakovich symphonies for Sony Classical: so far three CDs have been released and Beethoven 5/Shostakovich 5 will be released tomorrow, just before its Anvil concert.

Then on Wednesday, 23 May, the Philharmonia Orchestra plays Mendelssohn’s irresistibly exuberant Italian Symphony and Brahms’ Second Symphony.

Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony captures in four movements his impressions of the country.

The slow movement is a pilgrim’s march, and the gently flowing scherzo is followed by an exhilarating Neapolitan dance.

Brahms’ Second Symphony was written while on holiday in the summer of 1877 and is predominantly lyrical and relaxed, before an explosion of joy in the finale.

Conducting the orchestra in his Anvil debut is renowned Italian conductor Daniele Gatti, currently chief conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam.

Looking ahead, the International Concert Series for 2018-19 is now on sale. There will be twelve pieces that have not been performed at The Anvil before including Shostakovich’s Symphony no 1 and Strauss’ Sinfonia domestica.

There is a wealth of music from four centuries to enjoy; discover unfamiliar masterpieces as well as many pieces that Anvil audiences already love including Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony and Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto.

The series also includes a special gala concert from the Philharmonia Orchestra to mark The Anvil’s 25th birthday in May 2019.

For more information or for tickets, visit anvilarts.org.uk or call the Anvil Arts box office on 01256 844244.