Rachmaninov's Suite No.1, Op.5, inspired by poems from Lermontov, Byron, Tyutchev, and Khomyakov, was considered unprecedented in Russian piano music for its flamboyant chromatic Romanticism.
Critical Reception
Rachmaninov himself, forty years after writing his First Suite, judged it harshly, asking for its faults to be excused on the grounds of his youth.
Performer Biography
Martha Argerich, a renowned pianist, has been regularly performing these works since the 1980s, often collaborating with friends or younger pianists.
Composition History
Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances, his final work, was originally written for symphony orchestra, specifically the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy.
Recording & Production
This album showcases recordings made between 2005 and 2009 at Martha Argerich's Lugano academy, which she considers a "family affair."
Compositional Technique
Rachmaninov created a two-piano version of his Symphonic Dances that is not a mere reduction, but reproduces many orchestral timbres almost identically.
