Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances & The Bells

this Bells may be unsurpassable...The three soloists are superb, even if Dmytro Popov is a more heroic tenor than usual and Luba Orgonasova plays firm matriarch at the wedding rather than young... — BBC Music Magazine, November 2013, More…

Release Date: 26th Aug 2013
Catalogue No: 9845192
Label: Warner Classics
Length: 71 minutes

Presto Recording of the Week

26th August 2013
Gramophone Awards

2014

Shortlisted - Choral
Presto Favourites

Recommended Recording

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Rachmaninov: The Bells, Op. 35

35:42

Album only

Rundfunkchor Berlin, Berliner Philharmoniker
Sir Simon Rattle
Bruno Walter, Luba Orgonasova (soprano), Mikhail Petrenko (baritone), Dmitro Popov (tenor)
Recorded: 2012-11-01
Recording Venue: Concert Philharmonie, Berlin 8-10 November 2012.

I. Allegro ma non tanto ('The Silver Sleigh Bells')

6:22

$1.35

$1.75

Album only

II. Lento ('The Mellow Wedding Bells')

10:01

Album only

III. Presto ('The Loud Alarum Bells')

7:57

$1.35

$1.75

Album only

IV. Lento lugubre ('The Mournful Iron Bells')

11:22

Album only

Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances, Op. 45

35:51

Album only

Berliner Philharmoniker
Sir Simon Rattle
Recorded: 2012-11-01

I. Non allegro

11:52

Album only

II. Andante con moto (Tempo di valse)

9:52

Album only

III. Lento assai - Allegro vivace - Lento assai

14:07

Album only

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Favourites, Sergei Rachmaninov

David picks out some recordings of the works of Rachmaninov, perhaps the greatest composer for the piano of the Twentieth Century.

Recording of the Week, Rachmaninov from Sir Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker

26th August 2013

The Berliners afford luxurious treatment to the choral symphony The Bells (with soloists Luba Orgonášová and Mikhail Petrenko), whilst Rattle’s spacious approach to the Symphonic Dances pays huge dividends.

EMI Classics releases an exciting new recording of Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances and The Bells. These two Rachmaninov masterpieces, performed by one of the world’s most renowned orchestras under their celebrated principal conductor Sir Simon Rattle. This is a rare chance to hear Sir Simon’s interpretations of these great works. Towards the end of his life, the composer himself said of The Bells “I worked on this composition with feverish ardour; and it remains of all my works the one I love the most”. Of the Symphonic Dances, written shortly before his death, he said “I don’t know how it happened, it must have been my last spark”.

Reviews

November 2013

this Bells may be unsurpassable...The three soloists are superb, even if Dmytro Popov is a more heroic tenor than usual and Luba Orgonasova plays firm matriarch at the wedding rather than young bride. Mikhail Petrenko's bass is another quality voice, prefaced and mirrored by the most human cor anglais solo I've ever heard....a remarkable achievement.

October 2013

Lucid detail, refined shaping, polished instrumental solos and a shrewd way with texture and rhythmic ebb and flow contribute to an interpretation as astutely conceived as it is vital in execution.

22nd September 2013

Rattle’s account of The Bells is very impressive: he has three excellent soloists and the choral and orchestral contributions are first class...I’m equally taken with his reading of the Symphonic Dances...the Berlin playing is simply fabulous...These are two of Rachmaninov’s greatest works and Simon Rattle has done them proud with this exciting disc.

26th August 2013

I always think Rattle is at his interpretative best when he's conducting music that is full of interesting orchestral colours, and this is certainly the case here...What I like about Rattle's interpretation is the amount of space he allows...this is easily one of my favourite recordings of the year so far.

1st September 2013

[The Bells] was an astonishing first for the orchestra, which is perhaps why it sounds so fresh-minted here...The Symphonic Dances get sonic luxury from the Berliners. It’s hard to imagine the slow movement’s famous alto-sax solo more hauntingly played.

15th August 2013

[The Bells'] vivid palette of orchestral colours suits him and the Berlin Philharmonic, while careful engineering eases the problems of balance...Rattle doesn't always give the music its head in a way that a Russian conductor might, but the performance is carefully calibrated and full of brilliantly focussed detail.

24th August 2013

Rattle keeps luxuriating, basking in the long-legged melodies, idling lovingly over phrases, wrapped in a full and warm recording. The more brittle elements in rhythm, gesture and orchestration have a hard time getting heard. This isn’t a problem with the later recording of the companion work, the choral symphony The Bells

The Arts Desk 24th August 2013

the choral singing [in The Bells] combines agility and heft – the third movement terrifies. Good soloists too – notably bass Mikhail Petrenko. Rattle’s characteristic ear for detail rarely derails the forward momentum...Rattle’s new Symphonic Dances take a while to work their magic...But you’re slowly won over

Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances & The Bells

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Favourites, Sergei Rachmaninov

Recording of the Week, Rachmaninov from Sir Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker