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Our next Classics with NOW piece was performed in St David’s Hall in 2015 with much-loved Conductor Laureate, Tadaaki Otaka.

Rachmaninov’s final orchestral work, his Symphonic Dances, is an orchestral suite with three sections. During the piece, the composer recalls his homeland of Russia with religious motifs and melodies from his first symphony, contrasting with the bustling energy of the USA, where he lived when he was composing the piece in 1940.

The resulting piece is both lyrical and lively, showcasing the different instruments in the orchestra in a striking way. Listen out particularly for the alto saxophone solo in the first movement!