Rachmaninoff considered his choral symphony The Bells to be his best score, even rating it above his piano concertos and Second Symphony.
Performer Biography
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) was founded in 1946 by Sir Thomas Beecham, who believed great music-making belonged to everyone.
Composition History
The identity of the anonymous admirer who sent Rachmaninoff the poem The Bells was only revealed after his death as Maria Danilova, a young cello student.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded live in concert at the Royal Festival Hall, London, with Rachmaninoff's The Bells recorded on April 11, 2024, and Elgar's Falstaff on June 9, 2024.
Composition History
Rachmaninoff received an anonymous letter in 1907, while holidaying in Italy, that drew his attention to Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Bells, which inspired his choral symphony.
Historical Context
Both Rachmaninoff's The Bells and Elgar's Falstaff were written in 1913 and premiered in what would be the last peaceful autumn before World War I.
Performer Biography
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is considered the world's most versatile symphony orchestra, reaching a live and online audience of over 70 million people annually.
