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Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony (1888) dates from a phase in his life when he was already a successful and internationally respected composer. Only in Russia were his new works still frequently the object of fierce criticism, which led the renowned critic Herman Laroche to conclude that in his homeland, he had only been taught how to compose according to expectations. In reality, it was Tchaikovsky himself who, despite his many triumphs, was relentlessly self-critical, often uncertain about the value of his own scores, which he submitted to others for judgement (such as his pupil Sergei Taneyev, whom he trusted). Even as a composer of symphonic music, he did not yet feel genuinely accomplished, although he had already written four great symphonies besides Manfred. Following the Beethovenian model of “per aspera ad astra”, the Fifth Symphony was thus an attempt to purposefully show off his talent to Europe and the world. However, this was somewhat at odds with the composer’s desire to express his inner world and philosophy, which was imbued with pessimism. The theme of fate and adverse circumstances was already central in the Fourth Symphony, and the Fifth also attempts to thematise major existential topics such as life, death, fate and love. Tchaikovsky’s view of fate was wholly undermined by pessimism, but the “per aspera ad astra” model presupposed a triumphant conclusion. This ambivalence led to Tchaikovsky’s dissatisfaction, as he felt that the finale was not sincere or authentic. The entire symphony is, therefore, characterised by a high degree of ambiguity, both on an emotional and psychological level. It is a symphony that is both pessimistic and triumphant. Following the start of his tenure as Principal Conductor in 2015, the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana has continued to evolve into unquestionably one of the most accomplished ensembles in Europe. Their shared vision to explore less familiar pathways in interpretation and programming has won the orchestra and Markus Poschner many international awards, such as the coveted International Classical Music Award (ICMA) in 2018 for their Brahms Symphony Cycle for Sony Classical. Markus Poschner and the Orchestre National de France were recently honoured with the 2020 German Record Critics’ Annual Award for their recording of Offenbach’s Maître Péronilla. Since 2017 he has concurrently served as Chief Conductor of the Bruckner Orchestra Linz in Austria where he and the ensemble were named Conductor and Orchestra of the Year in 2020 for their successful work in the interpretation of Bruckner’s music.