EASTMAN Symphony No. 2, “The Faithful Friend: The Lover Friend’s Love for the Beloved”
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 2 in C minor, “Ukrainian”

This recording pairs the Second Symphonies of Julius Eastman and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — works that, despite being separated by over 100 years of history, share a remarkable vibrancy and hidden sentiment that continue to resonate today. Eastman’s Second Symphony, dedicated to his former lover and a chronicle of their failed relationship, is an example of the composer’s musical bravery. Tchaikovsky, on the other hand, was inspired by folk songs he heard while visiting his sister in present-day Ukraine.

Recorded live in Mandel Concert Hall in April and October 2023.