There once was a man who devoted years on a work project, and on the night of his presentation, he received horrendous feedback from colleagues and his native country exclaiming that his work would rather be enjoyed in hell. It is no surprise that he headed straight to suffering chronic depression that lasted for more than three years. He put off work because the pain devoured him alive; nothing could save him from the misery. Through the urging of a friend, he sought psychotherapy and only after many hypnosis sessions, he began to see a glimmer of hope.
Sergei Rachmaninov vowed to never write another symphony. Since the disastrous reception of his first one, he steered clear of orchestral repertoire. Nearly five years since the incident, he premiered a second concerto for piano (this piece is on my to-do list), songs, operas, all of which landed him great success. Russia was finally proud to call him their own. Rachmaninov, still hesitant and anxious about sharing another symphony with the world, began to compose in secrecy. After many revisions and ten years later, he conducted his Second Symphony in St. Petersburg in 1908, and the crowd went wild. The symphony achieved a nationalist award called the Glinka Prize, which allowed him the resources to tour around the world performing his new and highly regarded masterpiece.
I love every minute of the third movement, Adagio, of Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 2. The lush sound of strings and arching melodies of the clarinet (which is immediately repeated by the violins), all supported by a full section of winds and brass are merely a few reasons. A musical high, if you will, envelops my soul every time I listen to this piece- all 172 times, but who’s counting?
We share a mutual story with Rachmaninov about failure and brokenness. Yet, he was able to find beauty amid his pain and use it as an instrument for hope. Whatever monster it is that stands in your way, I pray that you will be inspired through his music to dare to dream again. I am truly grateful for his dedication to his craft, for the world could have missed out some of the most gorgeous sounds that we get to appreciate today.
I just listened to Rachmaninov and enjoyed it so much. A basic melody repeated in the background by wind instruments then followed by the beautiful sounds of the violins echoing a response. It was like a love relationship.
Pingback: Piano Concerto No.2, 2nd mov. – Rachmaninov | ms. espressivo