Tugan Sokhiev conductor
Ivo Pogorelich piano

Liadov ‘The Enchanted Lake’
Chopin Piano Concerto No.2
Rachmaninov Symphony No.2

Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony is one of the pinnacles of the Russian symphonic tradition, which places high emphasis on flowing melodies and powerful orchestration. From the brooding first movement through the rhythmically exciting scherzo (containing the Dies Irae motif that haunts so many of the composer’s works) to the beautiful climax of the slow movement, and then their summation in the final movement, the work is a real journey through the Russian musical landscape and the world of Rachmaninov’s imagination.

Before this is Chopin’s sparkling Piano Concerto No. 2, with the energetic rhythms of its first movement followed by its trembling, lyrical slow movement.

“From the start, with the arrival of the first subject - listless, troubled, irregular of rhythm - Sokhiev began signalling the volatility of this music. It was a performance full of theatrical contrasts, in tempo and dynamics.” The Independent