08/10/2008

Media:

Synopsis

Catherine Bott presents the second concert in the LSO and conductor Valery Gergiev's Emigres series, which continues with an exploration of Rachmaninov's relationship with his homeland. Due to political upheavals from 1905 onwards, Rachmaninov spent periods of time abroad in Italy and Germany, but returned to Russia each time.

His Second Symphony was written against this unsettling background and, following the poor reception of his First Symphony, he was unsurprisingly secretive while working on it. This work is coupled with the Fourth Piano Concerto, his first major piano work composed in exile in America.

Alexei Volodin (piano)
London Symphony Orchestra
Valery Gergiev (conductor)

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No 4 in G minor; Symphony No 2 in E minor

Followed by Play to the Nation, Radio 3's celebration of amateur orchestras across the UK:

Colin Johnson: With Artistic Clout
East Midlands COMA Ensemble

Tchaikovsky: Movement 2 from Symphony 5
Cheltenham Philharmonic Orchestra
Duncan Westerman (conductor)

Scriabin: Poem of Ecstasy
Sheffield Symphony Orchestra
John Longstaff (conductor)

...and Pianothon, showcasing amateur pianists from across the nation:

Schumann: Arabesque
Christopher Storey

Michel Le Coz: Mini rag
Felicity Webb

Broadcast

1. Wed 8 Oct 2008
   19:00
   BBC Radio 3