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Rachmaninov is stung by an unexpected rivalry and inspired by secret admirers. With Donald Macleod.

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 programmes, Donald Macleod turns his attention to Rachmaninov’s 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 Russia and abroad.

Rachmaninov was exceptionally busy as a concert pianist around 1910, with tours around Europe and the USA. Back in Russia, audiences were lapping up the music of Rachmaninov’s close contemporary, Alexander Scriabin, and Rachmaninov found himself cold-shouldered in Moscow. He even contemplated giving up composing altogether. He turned to song writing after receiving letters from a secret admirer. Another anonymous correspondent let him to the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, inspiring his mighty choral symphony, The Bells.

Lilacs, Op 21 No 5
Alessio Bax, piano

The Muse, Op 34 No 1
Joan Rodgers, soprano
Howard Shelley, piano

It Cannot Be, Op 34 No 7
Annamaria Popescu, mezzo-soprano
Howard Shelley, piano

The Bells, Op 35
L’uba Orgonášová, soprano
Dmytro Popov, tenor
Mikhail Petrenko, baritone
Rundfunkchor Berlin
Berliner Philharmoniker
Simon Rattle, conductor

Piano Sonata No 2 in B flat minor, Op 36 (Allegro molto)
Zoltán Kocsis, piano

Produced by Luke Whitlock, for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales