Composer of the Week - Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) - The Young Artist

Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) With Donald Macleod. 2/5. The Young Artist Following the success of his one act student opera Aleko, and his graduation from the Moscow Conservatory, in 1892 Rachmaninov embarked upon a career as a composer. Initially he was forced to take on teaching jobs to supplement his income and write some money-spinning piano works, but gradually he was offered more perfomances of his music. But in 1897, the critics savaged the disastrous premiere of his First Symphony. The experience devastated Rachmaninov who was then unable to compose anything for the next two years. The Chorus of Spirits Russian State Symphonic Cappella Nye poy krasaavitsa, pri mnye (Do not sing to me fair maiden, Op 4 No 4) Alexandre Naoumenko (tenor) Howard Shelley (piano) Cello Sonata (2nd mvt) Moray Welsh (cello) Martin Roscoe (piano) Spring Tigram Martyrosyan (bass) Russian State Symphonic Capella Russian State Symphony Orchestra Valery Polyansky (conductor) Second Symphony (slow mvt) Philharmonia Orchestra Kurt Sanderling (conductor) Were you hiccupping, Natasha? Sergei Leiferkus (bass) Howard Shelley (piano).