Rachmaninoff's Symphony No.1

A young, heartbroken Rachmaninoff poured all of his emotion into the epic score of his First Symphony. For many years it was lost, but conductor Nil Venditti, along with the full might of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, gives this youthful tour-de-force its due. In contrast, Dvořák's Cello Concerto was the last solo concerto written before his death; its rich textures and lyrical melodies performed here by award-winning soloist Andrew Byun. The famous 'Rossini crescendo' sets a dramatic tone for the evening with the Overture to his highly popular comic opera The Barber of Seville.

‘Venditti’s facility for phrasing and for highlighting detail was to the fore, teasing from the orchestra a warm sound and a bright demeanour.’ Bachtrack, August 2024