Icons Rediscovered: Rachmaninov’s Symphony no.2

When Vasily Petrenko conducts Russian music, you know to expect big emotions, and they don’t come much bigger than in Rachmaninov’s glorious Second Symphony. This is music of rolling stormclouds, blissful romance and melodies that seem to stretch out to the horizon, and when Petrenko recorded it, The Observer described the results as ‘essential listening’.

British soprano Louise Alder, who has been praised as the “ideal Straussian singer” (Bachtrack), brings her sensational voice to Strauss’ intimate Six Songs After Poems by Brentano.

Elgar’s Cockaigne Overture, meanwhile, is a bustling, brilliant portrait of London at the height of its Edwardian splendour. British music simply doesn’t get more colourful – or more fun.

Unfortunately Jennifer France is unwell and not able to join the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for our performance on Thursday 8 February 2023. We are grateful to Louise Alder for stepping in at very short notice to perform Strauss' Six Songs.