Simon Rattle conducts Mahler's 6th, Barbican Centre

As Simon Rattle’s Berlin Philharmonic tenure draws to close, there is understandably widespread speculation about what he will bring to the Barbican when he becomes LSO chief conductor in September 2017. If this January appearance in the same year gives any indication, he will continue to blend anointed classics with the shock of the new.

The concert begins with the world premiere of Remembering, an orchestral piece by Mark-Anthony Turnage (Anna Nicole). One of Britain’s most prominent and prolific living composers, his work is noted for its jazz inflections and uncompromising modernity. Though complex, it is often unashamedly emotive – a trait he shares with Gustav Mahler.

In the century since its composition, Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 (1903-4) has become musical shorthand for both melodrama and desolation. Often nicknamed the ‘tragic’, its ninety minutes contain some of the bleakest passages in the symphonic canon. But don’t despair: it also contains some of the most irresistible rhythms and captivating melodies, based on the military marches of his native Austria. Its awe-inspiring sense of drama leaves much else in the shade.