BBC SSO 25-26: Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.2

NO SECOND TAKES – EXPERIENCE IT LIVE
  
John Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine (c.5 mins)  
Barber Symphony No.1 (c. 21 mins)
interval  
Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2 (c.34 mins)  
 
Alessio Bax piano
Gemma New conductor

A piano climbing from darkness to light. A pulsing rhythm, bright with energy and colour. And a passionate melody, soaring against a storm-swept sky. The opening of any piece of music draws you into a new emotional world, and however familiar the melodies that follow, a great live performance makes you feel like you’re experiencing it for the first time.

That’s certainly the case when guest conductor Gemma New conducts the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, described by The Scotsman as “one to watch”. Together with pianist Alessio Bax (former winner of the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition), she’ll bring something wholly new to Rachmaninov’s most popular piano concerto. To open, two postcards from America: Barber’s symphonic testament to an age of anxiety, and John Adams’ supercharged fanfare.