Lahav Shani conducts Rachmaninov

After reluctantly leaving Russia in 1917, Rachmaninov spent time in Western Europe and eventually established himself in America. It was in California that he composed his world-famous Symphonic Dances, his last work and musical legacy: rich in lines inspired by prior works, the dances evoke the vast and monumental oeuvre that the composer left behind, with the religious motifs of the last movement seeming to presage his impending death. The twists and turns of the score place these Symphonic Dances among Rachmaninov's most stirring works, full of nuances and contrasts that find full expression in the capable hands of the Rotterdam Philharmonic.

Photo: Lahav Shani & RPHO © Guido Pijper