Piano Concerto no. 2 / Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini

Album by Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff & Rafael Orozco & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Edo de Waart

Piano Concerto No. 2 and Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini are compositions by Sergei Rachmaninoff, completed in 1901 and 1934 respectively. Both works exemplify late-Romantic piano repertoire, pairing expansive, lyrical melodies and rich orchestral textures with demanding virtuosic piano writing, the concerto marking a crucial renaissance in Rachmaninoff's compositional career and the rhapsody illustrating his later command of variation form and compact showpiece virtuosity.