Rachmaninov’s Symphony No 3, written in 1936, is the work of a composer in exile, and is filled with nostalgia for Russia. This is a contrast to the more expansive Symphony Number 2, which was written nearly three decades earlier while Rachmaninoff was still living in his homeland.
This symphony allows us to explore the starker style of the composer’s late works,as also seen in Rachmaninov’s final composition, the haunting Symphonic Dances, written in America in 1940.
On these two CD’s, these two major works from the final decade of Rachmaninov’s life are complemented by two pieces from the 1890s, the ‘Caprice Bohémien’ and the symphonic poem ‘Le Rocher’, and by the celebrated ‘Vocalise’, originally conceived in 1915 for voice and piano and later arranged for orchestra by the composer.
Conductor Paavo Järvi holds positions with three orchestras, makes guest appearances with the world’s leading ensembles, and becomes Chief Conductor of Japan’s NHK Symphony Orchestra from the 2015/16 season.
Here is the Rachmaninov Symphony #3, as played by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra:
