Rachmaninoff: The Bells

Rachmaninoff once said, “All my life, I have taken pleasure in the differing moods and music of gladly chiming and mournfully tolling bells.” In his setting of Edgar Allan Poe's poem, the composer traces the arc of human life — from the silver bells of youth to the iron bells at the end. Growing up in a country where bells carry profound cultural and spiritual meaning, it’s no surprise that they permeate Rachmaninoff’s music. Music Director Thomas Søndergård leads the Minnesota Orchestra and Minnesota Chorale in this rarely performed choral symphony, complimented by Szymanowski's virtuosic Violin Concerto No. 2 featuring Associate Concertmaster Susie Park.
Running Time~2 hours, including intermission