Symphonies Vol 1: Symphony No 2 in E minor

Symphonies Vol 1: Symphony No 2 in E minor cover $37.00 Out of Stock
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RACHMANINOV
Symphonies Vol 1: Symphony No 2 in E minor
Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes

[ BIS / CD ]

Release Date: Friday 17 May 2002

This item is currently out of stock. It may take 6 or more weeks to obtain from when you place your order as this is a specialist product.

the first in a cycle of Rachmaninov symphonies.

Music at its grandest! Listening to this wonderfully romantic "Russian" symphony we may find it difficult to understand that Rachmaninov's first symphony was a disastrous flop - despite the fact that his extraordinary talent had already been recognized while he was a student at the Moscow Conservatory. And though his second piano concerto had been an enormous success he still felt a need to re-establish himself and he subtitled the first movement of the new symphony Et resurrexit? (And did he rise again?) Rachmaninov conducted the first performance of this large-scale work in 1908 and it was a success from the start. Susbequently many conductors have felt called upon to reduce the length of the symphony but it is claimed that when Eugene Ormandy requested Rachmaninov to make cuts himself the score was duly returned with two whole bars excised!

Owain Arwel Hughes, who requires no introduction to BIS fans, naturally gives us every bar of the complete score. Conducting the Royal Scottish National Orchestra he relishes in the sweep and beauty of this grandly romantic symphony. Sometimes music requests nothing more from us but to be enjoyed. Like this disc which is the first in a cycle of Rachmaninov symphonies.