CD Details
Synopsis
Amazon.com Its irresistible melodies and lush orchestration account for Rachmaninoff's Second being the most popular of his three symphonies. The yearning string themes and the long, exquisite Adagio with its gorgeous clarinet solo overcome even resistance from diehard anti-Romanticists. Here, Järvi and his outstanding orchestra give full due to the work's melodic richness, clothing the themes in a velvet blanket of string and woodwind sound while spinning Rachmaninoff's long lines with a sure hand. Without excessive lingering, Järvi brings out many details buried in other versions and the faster movements, the Scherzo and the Finale, have plenty of dash and color. The fillers are delightful too, especially the pair of dances from Rachmaninoff's opera Aleko, the first sinuous, the second zestful. Telarc lavishes its usual excellent sonics on the band, placing it in a realistic dynamic frame. There have been numerous fine versions of Rachmaninoff's Second from the likes of Svetlanov, Ormandy, Temirkanov and Previn, but Järvi's belongs in their company and benefits from superior sound. --Dan Davis
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CD Reviews
Heart on the Sleeve: Paavo Järvi's Passionate Rachmaninov Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 04/13/2007 (4 out of 5 stars) "'Rachmaninov is a composer whose time will come - for the symphonies' stated Paavo Järvi on the local classical music station interview. It is a statement that may make some people scoff when they evaluate the number of recordings and performances of the piano concerti that load the catalogs and shelves of personal libraries. But Järvi was addressing the three symphonies of Rachmaninov and while the Second Symphony is heard with some regularity, the total symphonic output is not. It is refreshing to hear a conductor shed light on the very Romantic music of a 20th century composer, but listening to this recent release of his performance of the Rachmaninov 2nd Symphony (in tandem with the far less well known dances from Aleko and the Scherzo) with his Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra shows why some conductors fail to find the importance.
Paavo Järvi molds the rich melodic lines of this very beautiful work with nothing short of passion. His sweeping string lines supported from the bottom up (and captured with enormous live feeling by Telarc) carry a theme from the opening measures through the various shifts that always return to the core line. At times some of the lesser supporting roles by other sections in the orchestra are passed over a bit too hastily, but that is his choice and not the flaw of the orchestra choirs. In the end his vision of the work is purely from the heart and the degree of commitment to the seemingly endless melodies feels endless.
Other listeners may be solid supporters of the 'bigger name' conductor versions (Previn, Svetlanov, Ormandy, Temirkanov, Slatkin as per the editorial stance) and that is not to say this recording supercedes those. It is just the honesty of conviction and the commitment to Rachmaninov's passionate side that Järvi that is an ear-opener and deserves wide attention. And the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is growing in importance under his baton! Grady Harp, April 07"
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![Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2; Dances from Aleko; Scherzo [Hybrid SACD]](https://nationalbookswap.com/cd//l/95/8395/6148395.jpg)
