Sergei Rachmaninoff, the composer of Piano Concerto No. 2, was a student of Sergei Taneyev, who was himself a student and lifelong friend of Tchaikovsky.
Composer Biography
Pyotr Tchaikovsky, the composer of Symphony No. 4, was appointed as a lecturer at the Moscow Conservatoire by its founder, Nikolai Rubinstein, in 1866.
Critical Reception
Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 has been a 'favourite with audiences' since its premiere and the composer himself considered it so good that he made no alterations.
Composition History
Tchaikovsky considered his Symphony No. 4 to be his best work, completing its score by the end of 1877.
Composition History
Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 was composed after he underwent hypnosis therapy with Dr. Nikolai Dahl to overcome a deep personal crisis following the disastrous premiere of his First Symphony.
Performer Biography
The Stuttgart Philharmonic received the 'Prix Rachmaninoff 2006' for their concert cycle featuring all of Rachmaninoff's symphonies, piano concertos, and other orchestral works.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Tchaikovsky believed his Symphony No. 4 was programmatic, aiming to express 'everything for which there are no words' and imitating the basic concept of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.
