Episodes
Series | Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | 01 | In America: A Reluctant Visitor | 20180924 | 20200525 (R3) | Reluctant even to visit at first, and once there always more than a little homesick, this proudly Russian composer in fact lived in the United States of America for 25 years, from the end of the First World War until his death in 1943. His life there was principally that of a virtuoso performer, not a composer, and Rachmaninov gave recitals for presidents, recorded discs for Thomas Edison, and felt obliged to rattle off his `hated` Prelude in C sharp minor for concert audiences wherever he went. Today, Donald Macleod examines the composer's first concert tour of the states, in 1909, when Rachmaninov was finally convinced to go there by the prospect of purchasing a new automobile with the considerable appearance fees the tour offered. But he was equivocal: despite the tour's success, American life didn't particularly appeal, and he turned down offers of more work, returning to Moscow with no intention to go back. Within just a few years, political events would change his mind again. Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano Piano concerto in D minor, 1st movement Vladimir Horowitz, piano New York Philharmonic Eugene Ormandy, conductor The Isle of the Dead, Op 29 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Fritz Reiner A Dream (6 Songs, Op 38 No 5) Renee Fleming, soprano Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano The Star-Spangled Banner for piano Idil Biret, piano Produced by Dominic Jewel for BBC Wales Rachmaninov was equivocal about his first USA tour in 1909. Donald Macleod finds out why. |
2018 | 02 | In America: Earning A Living | 20180925 | 20200526 (R3) | Reluctant even to visit at first, and once there always more than a little homesick, this proudly Russian composer in fact lived in the United States of America for 25 years, from the end of the First World War until his death in 1943. His life there was principally that of a virtuoso performer, not a composer; and Rachmaninov gave recitals for presidents, recorded discs for Thomas Edison, and felt obliged to rattle off his `hated` Prelude in C sharp minor for concert audiences wherever he went. Today, Donald Macleod finds out how Rachmaninov adjusted to life in New York. Fleeing extreme socialism, he quickly encountered extreme capitalism: greeted on arrival by a succession of celebrated artists and reporters, the composer was wooed by record companies and piano manufacturers eager for his endorsement. Sergei Rachmaninov, piano Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor, 1st movement Krystian Zimerman, piano Boston Symphony Orchestra Seiji Ozawa, conductor Polichinelle in F sharp minor, Op 3 No 4 Lento a capriccio (The Bells) BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Yevgeny Svetlanov, conductor Hungarian Rhapsody No 2 in C sharp minor (Liszt, arr. Rachmaninov) Liebeslied (arr. for piano) Produced by Dominic Jewel for BBC Wales Donald Macleod follows his Rachmaninov's progress in the US. |
2018 | 03 | In America: Homesick Sabbatical | 20180926 | 20200527 (R3) | Reluctant even to visit at first, and once there always more than a little homesick, this proudly Russian composer in fact lived in the United States of America for 25 years, from the end of the First World War until his death in 1943. His life there was principally that of a virtuoso performer, not a composer; and Rachmaninov gave recitals for presidents, recorded discs for Thomas Edison, and felt obliged to rattle off his `hated` Prelude in C sharp minor for concert audiences wherever he went. By 1926, Rachmaninov was exhausted by his schedule as a pianist, and frustrated that he'd not written more music. He planned a year off, to write his fourth piano concerto - but still struggled to make space for composition, lamenting the lack of `quiet` he found stateside, and looking back with poignancy to his former life in Russia. Etudes Tableaux, Op 33, Nos 2 and 7 Sergei Rachmaninov, piano 3 Russian Songs, Op 41 Russian State Symphony Orchestra Valery Polyansky, conductor Marche (Etudes Tableaux, orch. Respighi) Minnesota Orchestra Eiji Oue, conductor 1926 was to be Rachmaninov's year off for composing. Donald Macleod sees how it turned out |
2018 | 04 | In America: European Vacations | 20180927 | 20200528 (R3) | Reluctant even to visit at first, and once there always more than a little homesick, this proudly Russian composer in fact lived in the United States of America for 25 years, from the end of the First World War until his death in 1943. His life there was principally that of a virtuoso performer, not a composer; and Rachmaninov gave recitals for presidents, recorded discs for Thomas Edison, and felt obliged to rattle off his `hated` Prelude in C sharp minor for concert audiences wherever he went. In his search for the peace and quiet in which he could compose, Rachmaninov spent huge sums on his new estate in Switzerland. The house he built there, Senar, would be his residence for the next few summers, and the place in which he would write some of his most enduringly popular music. Variations on a theme of Corelli, Op 42 Nikolai Lugansky, piano Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, Op 43 Daniil Trifonov, Piano Philadelphia Orchestra Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Conductor Symphony No 3 in A minor, Op 44, second movement Soviet State Symphony Orchestra Yevgeny Svetlanov, conductor Produced by Dominic Jewel for BBC Wales Donald Macleod explores Rachmaninov's pre-war Swiss summers of productive peace and quiet. |
2018 | 05 LAST | In America: Apple Pie? | 20180928 | 20200529 (R3) | Reluctant even to visit at first, and once there always more than a little homesick, this proudly Russian composer in fact lived in the United States of America for 25 years, from the end of the First World War until his death in 1943. His life there was principally that of a virtuoso performer, not a composer; and Rachmaninov gave recitals for presidents, recorded discs for Thomas Edison, and felt obliged to rattle off his `hated` Prelude in C sharp minor for concert audiences wherever he went. Rachmaninov was slow to embrace his adopted country, never really learning proper English - his correspondence was all translated into Russian - and always looking back longingly to mother Russia, a place now inaccessible to him. But he did come to love the United States and eventually, in the final year of his life, became a citizen. By then he'd become immersed in American cultural life, relishing jazz music and even admiring Mickey Mouse's take on his ubiquitous Prelude. Prelude in C sharp minor (arr. Barnet) Charlie Barnet, saxophone Charlie Barnet Rhythm Makers 3 Symphonic Dances, Op 45 Philadelphia Orchestra Eugene Ormandy, conductor The Muse (14 Songs, Op 34) Daniil Shtoda - Tenor Iain Burnside - Piano What Happiness (14 Songs, Op 34) Evelina Dobraceva - Soprano Vocalise (14 Songs, Op 34) Ekaterina Siurina - Soprano Lilacs Sergei Rachmaninov, piano Produced by Dominic Jewel for BBC Wales In 1943, Rachmaninov became a US citizen at last. Donald Macleod looks at his final years. |