Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances with Lorenzo Viotti

Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances

Lorenzo Viotti and the Netherlands Philharmonic impressed two seasons ago with Rachmaninov's world-famous Second Symphony. Now Viotti returns to the orchestra with the Symphonic Dances, Rachmaninov's last great masterpiece. It was intended as a showpiece for The Philadelphia Orchestra and principal conductor Eugene Ormandy. Rachmaninoff pulled out all the stops for a generous orchestral sound with dramatic contrasts. In addition to a version for piano four hands, he wrote this orchestral version for a gigantic symphony orchestra with lots of brass and percussion in particular.

Viotti and Kopatchinskaja with Shostakovich's Second violin concerto

For her splashy debut at Carnegie Hall in New York with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in October 2024, Patricia Kopatchinskaja chose Shostakovich's First Violin Concerto. ‘The biggest thrill of the evening came from the violinist,’ wrote a reviewer in New York Classical Review. Now the Moldovan star violinist makes his debut with the Netherlands Philharmonic with Shostakovich's Second Violin Concerto. Like his First Violin Concerto, Shostakovich dedicated his dark, introverted Second Violin Concerto to the renowned Russian violin master David Oistrach.