Sergei Rachmaninov (1873 - 1943)
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
I. Moderato
II. Adagio sostenuto
III. Allegro scherzando

In 1897, Rachmaninov's first symphony was premiered in Moscow. He was 24, and already recognised as rising young pianist and composer. The event was eagerly anticipated by press and public - but it was a disaster. The symphony was badly played, and was slammed by the critics. (It is always easy to blame the composer.) Rachmaninov was stunned, and in despair tore up the only score. It was never played again in his lifetime. This shock completely destroyed his confidence; he wrote no music for the next three years, and neither a successful concert trip to London nor a request from the London Philharmonic Society for a concerto was enough to pull him out of a deep depression.

He turned to alternative medicine (nothing is new!) and to a well-known hypnotist, one Dr. Nikolai Dahl for help. Rachmaninov explained it later thus: "I heard the same hypnotic formula repeated day after day, while I lay half asleep in Dahl's study. "You will begin to write your concerto … You will work with great ease … The concerto will be of excellent quality …" It was always the same, without interruption. Although it may sound incredible, this cure really helped me. At the beginning of the summer I began to compose. The material began to grow, and new musical ideas began to stir within me." And when the concerto was finished in 1900, Rachmaninov gratefully dedicated it to Dr. Dahl. One hopes Dr. Dahl appreciated it, since the resulting concerto is Rachmaninov at his best, and remains one of the most popular of all piano concertos. It is in three movements, of roughly equal length.

The first movement opens with deep bell-like chords on the piano, leading into a big but solemn tune on the whole orchestra. The melody spreads its wings wide, and the piano weaves accompaniment round it. A big orchestral climax is answered by a serious little phrase on the violas, and leads into a second theme for the piano, which rises and falls like an arch. Both themes are developed, and then the opening theme comes back on full orchestra, this time with a brilliant martial accompaniment for the piano. The second theme comes back too, this time on solo French horn. The movement ends with a sudden burst of rhythmic energy.

The slow movement is so lovely that descriptive words are unnecessary. The tracery of piano decoration around the woodwind solos is exquisite. Apart from a brief burst of fireworks from the piano in a cadenza towards the end of the movement, this is nostalgic dreaming of great beauty.

The finale alternates a fast, light and spiky theme, which appears first, with a slower long and sinuous melody, typically Rachmaninov, similar in shape to the second theme of the first movement. This first appears on the violas of the orchestra. The faster tempo returns, and the soloist joins in a passionate development. The viola theme comes back on the brighter violins, a big climax works up and, after a brief cadenza, soloist and orchestra together blaze out the big second theme, followed by a whirl to a brilliant conclusion.