Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2 / Vocalise for orchestra

In the wake of his First Symphony’s catastrophic première, Rachmaninov took a decade before commencing his Second, painstakingly revising it before conducting the triumphant première in 1908. Although haunted, like his First, by the Dies irae chant melody, the Second Symphony brims with Rachmaninov’s revitalised assurance as a composer, from its brooding opening to the vigorous grandeur of its conclusion. This disc marks the start of a new collaborative relationship between Naxos and the Detroit SO under Leonard Slatkin.. “One could argue that no conductor today comprehends this music or frames its rugged profile more eloquently than Slatkin. This was a magnificent performance, a testament to the DSO's collective virtuosity and a ringing promise of a new chapter in its annals.” Detroit News on Slatkin’s inaugural concert as the conductor of the DSO