Rachmaninov and the Philadelphia Sound

Sergei Rachmaninov and Eugene Ormandy

Sergei Rachmaninov conducts the Philadelphia Orchestra

Sergei Rachmaninov and Eugene Ormandy

Sergei Rachmaninov

Jeremy Rothman

Yuja Wang and Yannick Nézet-Séguin perform Rachmaninov with the Philadelphia Orchestra

By Cameron Kelsall, 01 April 2023

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“even as a kid, I remembered being mesmerized by the sound of the strings”

Bachtrack, 28th January

How is the classical music world changing? Looking back on a dizzying year, we pay particular attention to performers’ international connectedness. Documenting more than 30,000 events, Bachtrack’s statistics provide valuable insight into an unstable world.

The art of memory: classical music for mourning

Danny Riley, 28th October

From fulfilling funerary functions, to eulogising friends and fellow artists, or lamenting the waste of war: here are some of the finest examples of music written in mourning.

Routes beyond: Junyan Chen on curating Leeds Chamber Series

Lawrence Dunn, 14th October

Award-winning pianist Junyan Chen talks about curating this year’s Leeds International Chamber Series, making new arrangements of repertoire, and the importance of chamber music for pianists.

Why Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances triumphed in 2023

Tristan Labouret, 9th January

The work most frequently performed in concert in 2023, Rachmaninov’s masterpiece owes its popularity to specific circumstances, but also to much deeper reasons.

Jamie Bernstein: Growing up with Maestro

Edward Seckerson, 6th November

Ahead of the release of Maestro, starring and directed by Bradley Cooper, Leonard Bernstein’s oldest daughter discusses her father’s impact on her life and the music world at large.

Eclectic programming of a restless spirit: Conrad Tao

Kurt Gottschalk, 3rd November

Ahead of his concert at 92NY this December, Conrad Tao discusses Rachmaninov’s lush harmony, and the parallels between his music and classic songwriting of Billy Strayhorn and Harold Arlen.

Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall is a classical music critic and cultural reporter. He has written for Bachtrack since 2019, and his byline has appeared in many national and international classical music publications. Based in Philadelphia, he regularly travels around the United States for musical events. In addition to his career in journalism, Cameron also teaches in the Theatre Arts program at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a certified sommelier and avid home cook. His favorite composer is Mahler. Twitter: @CameronPKelsall.

The Special Relationship: Rachmaninov and the Philadelphia Sound