Sergei Rachmaninoff To mark the 150th anniversary of Sergei Rachmaninoff's birth in 2023, the Philadelphia Orchestra, under the direction of Yannick Nézet-Séguin, inaugurates a new symphonic cycle with the composer's Symphony No. 1 and Symphonic Dances. This selection highlights the orchestra's close relationship with Rachmaninoff, who entrusted the ensemble with the world premieres of several of his works; in particular, the Symphonic Dances were dedicated to the orchestra and its then-principal conductor.
The album deliberately establishes a connection between Rachmaninoff's First Symphony and his last major orchestral composition, revisiting musical motifs from the early work. With this new cycle, Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra build upon their successful recordings of the piano orchestral works with Daniil Trifonov, including the award-winning recording "Destination Rachmaninoff – Arrival."