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SIGCD540_16ppBooklet*****.qxp_BookletSpread.qxt 11/05/2018 10:20 Page 1 CTP Template: CD_DPS1 COLOURS Compact Disc Booklet: Double Page Spread CYAN MAGENTA Customer YELLOW Catalogue No. BLACK Job Title Page Nos. Also available… RACHMANINOV SYMPHONY NO .3 SYMPHONIC DANCES LIVE IN CONCERT 4 0 8 3 4 5 D D C C VLADIMIR ASHKENAZY G G I I S S Rachmaninov: Symphony No.1 Rachmaninov: Symphony No.2 Vladimir Ashkenazy conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy conductor SIGCD484 SIGCD530 “Ashkenazy knows how to shape detail and soar in the big “…a work of boundless appeal, lavishly melodic, melodic moments. The Philharmonia sound is muscular and orchestrated with a kaleidoscopic range of colour and alert, from the opening woodwind solos to the mighty, serving as a scrumptious showpiece for any orchestra at the stirring symphonic tutti of the finale.” top of its game. And in the hands of Vladimir Ashkenazy and The Observer the mellow, flexible Philharmonia Orchestra, recorded live in concert, it has all the sensitivity it needs.” Primephonic 16 1 291.0mm x 169.5mm SIGCD540_16ppBooklet*****.qxp_BookletSpread.qxt 11/05/2018 10:20 Page 2 CTP Template: CD_DPS1 COLOURS Compact Disc Booklet: Double Page Spread CYAN MAGENTA Customer YELLOW Catalogue No. BLACK Job Title Page Nos. SERGEI RACHMANINOV 1873-1943 For the first year of exile they lived in Stockholm and RACHMANINOV Symphony No.3 in A minor, Op.44 Copenhagen, before Rachmaninov finally decided SYMPHONY NO.3 that his future lay across the Atlantic. In November Lento – Allegro moderato 1918 they sailed for the USA, where Rachmaninov SYMPHONIC DANCES – described by a fellow-virtuoso as ‘the greatest Adagio ma non troppo – Allegro vivace – pianist of his time’ – was offered a series of Symphony No. 3 in A minor , Op. 44 Tempo come prima 1 I. Lento – Allegro moderato 15.57 lucrative concerts and a recording contract. From 2 II. Adagio ma non troppo – Allegro vivace – Tempo come prima 12.18 Allegro then onwards, he worked primarily as a concert pianist, fitting in composing whenever time 3 III. Allegro 13.32 allowed. Of his 45 published opus numbers, only The Russian Revolution had a huge impact on six date from the period of his self-imposed exile Symphonic Dances , Op. 45 Rachmaninov’s career. At first, like the vast during the remaining quarter-century of his life. 4 I. Non allegro 11.26 majority of his fellow-countrymen, he supported The Fourth Piano Concerto of 1926 was his first 5 II. Andante con moto (Tempo di valse) 10.03 the fall of the Romanov dynasty by giving significant piece for eight years. After another gap 6 III. Lento assai – Allegro vivace – Lento assai. concerts in what he called ‘my now-liberated of five years came the Corelli Variations for piano, Come prima – Allegro vivace 14.12 country’, but by the autumn of 1917, the situation completed in June 1931. In 1934, a period of in Russia had become intolerable. The country recuperation following a minor operation allowed Total timings: 77.34 was paralysed by strikes; changes of government him time to compose the Rhapsody on a Theme of seemed to do nothing to alleviate the grim living Paganini for piano and orchestra. Then, in the PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA conditions suffered by the population, and summer of 1935 during a gap between concert VLADIMIR ASHKENAZY CONDUCTOR musical life had ground to a halt. Rachmaninov seasons, he began work on a Third Symphony, but was desperately worried about his future, and only got two movements written before he had to began applying to get a visa to leave. An start practising again for the next gruelling round opportunity arose when he was invited to play in of concert engagements. He returned to the Stockholm. He seized the chance, and just before symphony in June 1936 while staying at his newly Christmas 1917 he, his wife Natalya and their completed villa near Lucerne, writing at the end of two daughters left Russia, never to return. the score ‘Finished. I thank God!’ 2 3 2 3 291.0mm x 169.5mm SIGCD540_16ppBooklet*****.qxp_BookletSpread.qxt 11/05/2018 10:20 Page 3 CTP Template: CD_DPS1 COLOURS Compact Disc Booklet: Double Page Spread CYAN MAGENTA Customer YELLOW Catalogue No. BLACK Job Title Page Nos. The Symphony was premiered in Philadelphia by only other late orchestral work, the Symphonic ‘The work impresses me as being of the true Rachmaninov’s music never quite materialise. The the Philadelphia Orchestra under Leopold Dances of 1940), both in terms of form and texture. Russian romantic school; one cannot get away from movement builds up to a climax, and then subsides, Stokowski on 6 November 1936. Rachmaninov was It is also permeated with a mood of anguished the beauty and melodic line of the themes and their ending quietly, and the second movement also disappointed by what he called its ‘sour’ reception. yearning, in contrast to the radiant, full-blown logical development. As did Tchaikovsky, begins quietly, with horn notes over a harp He commented rather bitterly at a press interview: optimism of the Second Symphony. Rachmaninov’s Rachmaninov uses the instruments of the accompaniment. Henry Wood’s ‘magical’ solo violin later years were overshadowed by financial worry, orchestra to their fullest effect. Those lovely little appears with a yearning melody which flowers into ‘When my First Symphony was first played, they overwork, increasing ill-health, and above all, by phrases for solo violin, echoed on the four solo a full-blown violin theme, while the harp underpins said it was so-so. Then when my Second was homesickness. In 1930 he said in an interview woodwind instruments, have a magical effect in the woodwind solos mentioned by Wood. But the played they said the First was good, but that the given in London: the slow movement. I am convinced that pastoral idyll cannot remain unblemished: storm Second was so-so. Now that my Third has been Rachmaninov’s children will see their father’s Third clouds appear on the horizon, the tempo quickens, played – just this fall – they say that my First and ‘There is a burden heavier to me than any other; it Symphony take its rightful place in the affection of and after a few false starts a dramatic scherzo Second are good but that my – oh, well, you see is that I have no country. I had to leave the land that section of the public which loves melody. In erupts, almost grotesque in style, but with touches how it is!’ where I was born, where I struggled and suffered fact, I go so far as to predict that it will prove as of delicate scoring. The tempo unwinds again and all the sorrows of the young, and where I finally popular as Tchaikovsky’s Fifth.’ we return briefly to the mood of the opening, with In the light of the symphony’s cool reception, achieved success. The whole world is open to me the solo violin ushering in a quietly reflective ending. Rachmaninov deferred a planned recording with and success awaits me everywhere. Only one place Rachmaninov’s Third Symphony has only three the London Philharmonic Orchestra in September is closed to me, and that is my own country, Russia.’ movements, the central, faster section of the slow The vigorous finale is episodic in style, contrasting 1937, deciding instead to revise it. In fact, the movement acting as a scherzo . All three of dramatic, almost martial outbursts with lyrical, original version was given its London premiere at Indeed, not only was Russia itself closed to Rachmaninov’s symphonies begin with a motto- yearning themes of great beauty, an extended fugal the Queen’s Hall two months later by the LPO under Rachmaninov, but by the late 1930s his music was theme, which in the Third is heard very quietly at section which starts on the violins, a passage for Sir Thomas Beecham. Rachmaninov then revised actually banned by the Soviet regime, so the outset of the brief slow introduction, and which harp and woodwind underpinned by a menacing it in the summer of 1938, and eventually recorded contemporary Russian audiences were not able to recurs in various guises throughout the piece. The snare-drum rhythm, and a dance-like section in it with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1939. hear what has been called ‘the last great utterance first movement constantly defeats the listener’s which a tambourine joins the accompaniment to a of the Russian Romantic symphonic tradition’. Sir expectations – lyrical melodies surge up, but are flute solo. The coda builds up in speed and intensity The Third Symphony is no less lyrical or dramatic Henry Wood, who conducted the Third Symphony in undermined by motifs of unease, and fragmentary, to round off the symphony on an optimistic note. than Rachmaninov’s previous works, but it has a Rachmaninov’s presence in 1938, recognised its almost ghostly dance-like themes, so the long- pared-down quality (in common with Rachmaninov’s significance, writing encouragingly: breathed melodies we associate with © Wendy Thompson 4 5 4 5 291.0mm x 169.5mm SIGCD540_16ppBooklet*****.qxp_BookletSpread.qxt 11/05/2018 10:20 Page 4 CTP Template: CD_DPS1 COLOURS Compact Disc Booklet: Double Page Spread CYAN MAGENTA Customer YELLOW Catalogue No. BLACK Job Title Page Nos. SERGEI RACHMANINOV 1873-1943 other, Rachmaninov relished novelty; the you and your orchestra. It is called ‘Fantastic The work’s premiere took place on 3 January Symphonic Dances , Op. 45 architecture of his villa was fashionably Dances’. I shall now begin the orchestration. 1941, and was met with a tepid critical response. reminiscent of the Bauhaus style, and he enjoyed Unfortunately my concert tour begins on Yet the critics may have been too swift to dismiss Non allegro exploring Lucerne in a speedboat.

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