Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2, Barber Violin Concerto

The Mid-Somerset Orchestra presents an evening centred on one of the great symphonic statements of the twentieth century. Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 is a work of expansive design and sustained emotional power. Unfolding over four movements, the symphony is built from long, searching melodies, rich harmonic textures, and moments of striking orchestral weight. Its famous slow movement and sweeping finales reveal Rachmaninoff’s gift for shaping large-scale musical drama with clarity and purpose, creating a work that remains compelling from its opening bars to its extraordinary end.

The concert opens with Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto, performed by the brilliant young violin soloist Emma Steenkamp, a student at Wells Cathedral School. Barber’s writing combines lyrical poise with rhythmic drive, offering an expressive and technically demanding introduction to a programme that culminates in symphonic breadth and depth. The Mid-Somerset Orchestra is conducted by Hitoshi Suzuki.