Boston Symphony Orchestra with Yo-Yo Ma, Brahms, and more

Boston-based symphony (founded 1881); famed for top RCA/Deutsche Grammophon recordings, Tanglewood, premieres by Stravinsky/Bartók; worked with John Williams/Spielberg.

Paris-born cellist Yo-Yo Ma: Bach Suites breakout; Silk Road Ensemble founder; 18 Grammys. Collabs: Bobby McFerrin, Thile, Edgar Meyer, Emanuel Ax.

Johannes Brahms, born in Hamburg, Germany, was a pivotal Romantic era composer. He masterfully blended classical forms with rich harmonies and lyrical melodies in his symphonies, concertos, and chamber music. Celebrated for works like "Hungarian Dances" and his "Lullaby," he is considered one of classical music's "Three Bs" alongside Bach and Beethoven, leaving an enduring legacy.

Gabriel Urbain Fauré was a French composer, organist, pianist, and teacher who was one of the foremost French composers of his generation. His refined and gentle musical style influenced many 20th-century composers, bridging the end of Romanticism with early modernism. Among his best-known works are his Pavane, Requiem, Sicilienne, and various nocturnes for piano. He also served as a professor of composition and later as the director of the Paris Conservatoire, where he mentored prominent figures such as Maurice Ravel, Georges Enescu, and Nadia Boulanger.