Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2

Album review

After the severely unfavorable, acrid reception to his first symphony, Rachmaninov went into several years of self-imposed compositional exile. By contrast, the Second Symphony, begun in 1906, received a much warmer reception and became a work Rachmaninov himself conducted on tour for years to come. Much like the second piano concerto, this symphony embodies the qualities most listeners think of when thinking of Rachmaninov: sweeping Romantic gestures, lush string writing, memorable melodies, and rich, dense harmonies. The Singapore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Lan Shui does an exemplary job of capturing all of these qualities in this 2008 BIS album. Formed only in 1979, the SSO is a relative newcomer to the world orchestral scene, but is quickly climbing the ranks. Under Shui's direction, the SSO performs with an admirably warm, balanced sound quality and meticulous attention to technical detail. The string section in particular functions as a singular, refined instrument, but without a hint of being mechanical. The brass are edgy and penetrating without overpowering the rest of the orchestra, and the winds are delicate and poignant. Shui's vision for Rachmaninov's Second Symphony highlights its broad scope while avoiding overindulgence or excessive rubato. Rather, Shui gives listeners precisely what's on the score, resulting in a moving, completely satisfying performance.

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