Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

RICH MELODIES. SOPHISTICATION.

Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2, premiered in 1901, is one of the Russian composer’s most popular works. The piece was premiered in Budapest not much later in 1908: the work was played with a solo by a Russian guest artist. “The piece is very interesting, rich in melodies; its structure is witty and purposeful. Its orchestral language is clear, and some of its rich melodies seem to recall Tchaikovsky’s overwhelming musical themes,” a contemporary report on the event describes. Two years later, in March 1910, the audience of Budapest eagerly awaited the performance of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2, this time to be performed by the composer himself. Rachmaninov eventually cancelled the concert, referring to an illness. This concert by the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra will feature Balázs Fülei and conductor János Kovács.