From its opening tolling chords, to the heartfelt intensity of the second movement, and the ambitious romanticism of the finale – Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto is an affecting experience.
Rachmaninov was in a deep depression in 1900, following the calamitous premiere and public rejection of his Symphony No.1 three years earlier. “A paralysing apathy has possessed me,” he wrote. Rachmaninov worked to overcome his feelings with a therapist, to whom he would then dedicate this concerto. Its success was transformative, personally and professionally. Rachmaninov believed in himself once more. Rejoining the MSO is pianist Behzod Abduraimov, who formed an artistic bond with MSO musicians during his time on the orchestra’s 2025 European tour.
2027 Featured Composer Mary Finsterer’s Lumen Prime Aurore , or ‘First Dawn’s Light’, draws from a poem by Hildegard von Bingen, one of the most remarkable figures of the Middle Ages. Von Bingen’s themes are intermingled with Finsterer’s own research into the Aurora Australis, with the music depicting all the dancing colours of the celestial phenomenon.
Chief Conductor Jaime Martín continues his exploration of Dvořák symphonies, with the composer's Fourth echoing Wagner and Brahms. It is also infused with Czech folk traditions and national pride, allowing the music to create its own atmosphere of burgeoning radiance and optimism.
