“I love core repertoire, and Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 2 is a sweeping example of the Russian symphonic tradition and perhaps the most popular of his orchestral works,” says Paavo Järvi. “It’s particularly exciting to record Rachmaninov’s lesser-known gems such as the two gypsy dances from Aleko and the charming little Scherzo from 1888.”

 

We hardly remember today that Rachmaninov started out as an opera composer, but the 1893 premiere of his student opera Aleko was his first big public break – not so much for its public reception as for the fact that it won over Tchaikovsky as an advocate. After a period of depression, Rachmaninov composed his Second Symphony, which was embraced by the public and proved the composer to be a symphonist. Also in this recording is the Mendelssohnian Scherzo in resolutely unvarying D-minor that Rachmaninov wrote in 1888 (it was his first attempt for orchestra). This recording is a wonderful representation of two of Rachmaninov’s early works paired with his most well known orchestral work.