RNCM Symphony Orchestra

The RNCM return to The Bridgewater Hall for a performance of Rachmaninov’s epic Second Symphony under the baton of Elim Chan who is widely admired for her unique combination of ‘drama and tenderness, power and delicacy.’

With its lush orchestration, Rachmaninov’s lyrical, brooding, romantic work is more closely related to the 19th than to the 20th century in which it was written. The composer was his own person, with his own distinctive soundworld, and was seen as out of step and unfashionable at the time as he resisted new trends. However, this magnificent work helped re-establish his self-confidence as a symphonist, after the disaster of the première of his First Symphony.

Ravel was also a maverick of his time. Written for the Austrian pianist Paul Wittgenstein, who lost his right arm during the First World War, his Piano Concerto for the Left Hand emerged as a powerful, original work with a darker feeling than his more popular concerto. Ingeniously, Ravel’s writing for the soloist rarely gives a clue that just one hand is involved.

As both composers wore their heart on their sleeve, this is inherently emotional music. And to add another very personal layer to this story, as this is the last time that all of these students will perform together before graduation and move onto the next phase of their professional lives, we’re anticipating that this will intensify the emotion even further. It is, indeed the end of an era…