Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto was dedicated to Dr. Nicolay Dahl, a doctor who helped him recover from a crisis of confidence after the disastrous premiere of his First Symphony.
Performer Biography
The Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, one of three state orchestras in North Rhine-Westphalia, performs around 130 concerts a year in Germany and Europe.
Performer Biography
Anna Fedorova, the pianist on this recording, has a live recording of Rachmaninoff's 2nd Piano Concerto with over 37 million views on YouTube.
Performer Biography
Anna Fedorova is nicknamed the 'house pianist' of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, having given over 45 concerts there, often live broadcasted.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Rachmaninoff denied any connection between the main theme of his Third Piano Concerto and folk or religious songs, stating that the melody "composed itself" and he wanted it to "sing on the piano like a singer would sing."
Performer Biography
Anna Fedorova co-founded the Davidsbündler Music Academy in The Hague, which provides musical education and full scholarships to talented young pianists and string players, including Ukrainian refugees.
Compositional Technique
The Second Piano Concerto shows no signs of piecemeal composition, with later movements developing thematic material from the first movement, even though the first movement was completed last.
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