Rachmaninoff: Symphony No.2 (Arrangement for Piano & Orchestra by Alexander Warenberg)

Featuring

Wolfram Schmitt-Leonardy
Theodore Kuchar
Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra
Alexander Warenberg

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Composer's Artistic Vision

Rachmaninoff stated he could not compose without melody, play without a "culminating point," or make music live without "colour."

Composer Biography

After moving to Prohibition America in 1918, Rachmaninoff became a homesick émigré, largely recreating others' music rather than creating his own dreams.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Rachmaninoff believed music should "speak from the heart" and reflect a composer's temperament, love affairs, religion, and influences.

Compositional Technique

The arrangement for piano and orchestra by Alexander Warenberg compresses the symphony by 40.6%, reducing 1,843 bars to 1,094, with material omitted, replaced, or re-composed.

Compositional Technique

This arrangement draws inspiration from Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto, with elements like the first solo's unisons and the Adagio's orchestral exposition.

Composition History

Rachmaninoff's Second Symphony, dedicated to Sergei Taneyev (Director of the Moscow Conservatoire), took approximately five to six months to compose between 1906 and 1908.

Critical Reception

At its Moscow premiere, critic Yuli Engel praised Rachmaninoff as a significant contemporary figure and worthy successor to Tchaikovsky, noting the new E minor Symphony's freshness and beauty despite its length.