Failure and Success
Donald Macleod delves into the failures and successes that led to Rachmaninov鈥檚 cantata, Spring.
Donald Macleod delves into the failures and successes that led to Rachmaninov鈥檚 cantata, Spring.
Rachmaninov has been seen as the last great champion of Russian late Romanticism. He was a celebrated pianist and conductor, as well as a composer, and his musical legacy includes his hugely popular piano concertos. In this series of programme, Donald Macleod turns his attention to Rachmaninov鈥檚 great choral works and his story during the periods in which they were composed. These choral masterpieces are both sacred and secular, and include the cantata Spring, the choral symphony The Bells, Three Russian Songs, the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, and the iconic All-night Vigil. Donald explores what inspired Rachmaninov while he was writing this music, including creative collaborations, beautiful poetry, and places in in Russia and abroad
Rachmaninov and his wife received the gift of a small house, on an estate at Ivanovka, as a wedding present. Rachmaninov used the house as a retreat where he composed many of his major works and it was in this rural setting that he worked on his cantata Spring, for baritone, chorus and orchestra. This choral work was completed in 1902 but, in the years before, Rachmaninov had experienced a series of successes and failures which nearly stopped him composing altogether.
How Fair this Spot, Op 21 no 7
Aida Garifullina, soprano
ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra of Vienna
Cornelius Meister, conductor
Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor, Op 18 (Adagio sostenuto)
Yevgeny Sudbin, piano
大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra
Sakari Oramo, conductor
Suite No 2 for two pianos, Op 17
Peter Donohoe, piano
Martin Roscoe, piano
Spring, Op 20
Alexi Tanovitsky, bass
St Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre Chorus
大象传媒 Philharmonic
Gianandrea Noseda, conductor
Produced by Luke Whitlock, for 大象传媒 Wales
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Sergey Rachmaninov
12 Songs, Op 21, No 7 "How Fair this Spot"
Singer: Aida Garifullina. Orchestra: Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Cornelius Meister.- DECCA 4788305.
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Sergey Rachmaninov
Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor, Op 18 (Adagio sostenuto)
Performer: Yevgeny Sudbin. Orchestra: 大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.- BIS : BIS2338.
- BIS.
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Sergey Rachmaninov
Suite No 2 for two pianos, Op 17
Performer: Peter Donohoe. Performer: Martin Roscoe.- NAXOS : 8.-557062.
- NAXOS.
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Sergey Rachmaninov
Spring, Op 20
Singer: Alexi Tanovitsky. Choir: Mariinsky Chorus. Orchestra: 大象传媒 Philharmonic. Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda.- CHANDOS : CHAN10706.
- CHANDOS.
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Franz Liszt
Vergiftet sind meine Lieder
Broadcast
- Mon 6 Sep 2021 12:00大象传媒 Radio 3
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