The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the Russians

The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra performs relatively early works by Prokofiev, Rachmaninov and a beautiful sound story (in the tradition of Russian fairy tale ballets) by Sofia Gubaidoelina.

Kristóf Baráti plays Prokofiev
Hungarian star violinist Kristóf Baráti plays Sergei Prokofiev's First Violin Concerto. When the latter fled the horrors of war and the Communist coup in 1918, he had hardly any money in his pocket; in his luggage, however, was this music. In America he did not have the success he had hoped for, and it was not until 1923 that it was premiered in Paris. Once Russian violinist David Oistrach finally took it in hand, he discovered the iridescent, almost superhuman beauty of the music, which he described as "a sunlit landscape, through which a fresh scent of nature wafts."

Rachmaninov's nature
For Sergei Rachmaninov, nature, with its circular process of growth and decay, was an important source of inspiration. "I take a big walk through nature. My eyes catch the light of young foliage after a rain, my ears the rustling undertone of the forest. Or I see the pale hues above the horizon after sunset and they pop up all at once - all voices at once. Not a few tones here and a few tones there. Everything. The whole complex grows." The long Adagio from his Second Symphony (1908) is so lyrical and expressive, one wonders why Rachmaninov did not become a greater opera composer....