Sergei Rachmaninoff - Suite No. 2
for Wind Quintet and Piano

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) composed his 2nd Suite for two pianos in Italy in the first months of 1901. Along with the Second Piano Concerto, it marks the composer's return after three years of depression and silence. The Suite opens with a confident march, full of positive energy. The following waltz brings wit as well as gloriously expressive melodies. This melodic profusion continues in the Romance, which reaches an impassioned climax. To finish, an exhilarating tarantella captures the Italian folk spirit, full of virtuosic display and thrilling rhythms. This arrangement for wind quintet and piano adds orchestral colour and lyrical sustain, while maintaining much of Rachmaninoff's piano textures.

Available to purchase from Aria Editions here

Instrumentation: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, piano

Listen to extracts here:

1. Introduction (1’32)
2. Valse (1’17)
3. Romance (2’16)
4. Tarantelle (1’37)