A "Passacaglia" is a form of music in three that is built over a bassline; in the case of the third movement of the Shostakovich Concerto it is built over an elephant walking (or at least its plodding figures bring that image to my mind). The opening is a great moment for the brass section; then the violinist must walk with the elephant, who is at times far away but then at other times grows scarily close, always walking steadily and predictably. Goicea needed to mind the elephant; the tremendous drama with which she was playing would have been all the more exciting, had it been in perfect step with the orchestra.