Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2

Tonight's concert with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and conductor Gemma New presents distinguished orchestral works spanning the early twentieth century to the 1980s. Ravel’s Le tombeau de Couperin, a work of refined elegance and clarity, is followed by Barber’s Symphony No. 1, a compelling single-movement composition of sustained intensity and expressive depth. After the interval, John Adams’s Short Ride in a Fast Machine provides a vivid contrast with its driving rhythms and kinetic energy. The concert concludes with Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, one of the most celebrated works in the concerto repertoire performed by Alessio Bax. Noted for its sweeping melodies and emotional breadth, it brings the evening to a powerful and richly expressive close.

Live from City Halls in Glasgow, presented by Kate Molleson.

Ravel: Le tombeau de Couperin
Barber: Symphony No. 1, Op 9

c.8.20pm interval

c.8.40pm John Adams: Short Ride in a Fast Machine
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor

Gemma New, conductor
Alessio Bax, piano
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

To listen on most smart speakers just say 'ask BBC Sounds to play Radio 3 in Concert'.