Haupz Blog

... still a totally disordered mix

Rachmaninoff's Second Symphony

2024-11-30 — Michael Haupt

More than three decades ago, Sergei Rachmaninoff was one of my first contacts with classical music. I had heard the name and something that insinuated his music was interesting, so I bought an audio cassette (this is how old I am) with his first and second piano concertos. These - especially the second concerto - struck me hard, and I instantly loved this music very, very deeply. I still do.

A while later, I came across Rachmaninoff’s second symphony, which struck me similarly hard as the piano concerto. In particular, the slow movement had an impact. The opening theme with its melancholic yet light mood, and then the clarinet solo that just won’t end … until it ends after all, only to be continued by the strings, which loop it back to the opening theme … incredible.

Hear it please. The entire thing, or just the slow movement.

Tags: music