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Episode details

Radio 3,05 Feb 2026,134 mins

Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2

Radio 3 in Concert

Available for 9 days

Tonight's concert with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and conductor Gemma New presents distinguished orchestral works spanning the early twentieth century to the 1980s. Ravel’s Le tombeau de Couperin, a work of refined elegance and clarity, is followed by Barber’s Symphony No. 1, a compelling single-movement composition of sustained intensity and expressive depth. After the interval, John Adams’s Short Ride in a Fast Machine provides a vivid contrast with its driving rhythms and kinetic energy. The concert concludes with Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, one of the most celebrated works in the concerto repertoire performed by Alessio Bax. Noted for its sweeping melodies and emotional breadth, it brings the evening to a powerful and richly expressive close. Live from City Halls in Glasgow, presented by Kate Molleson. Ravel: Le tombeau de Couperin Barber: Symphony No. 1, Op 9 c.8.20pm interval c.8.40pm John Adams: Short Ride in a Fast Machine Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor Gemma New, conductor Alessio Bax, piano BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra To listen on most smart speakers just say 'ask BBC Sounds to play Radio 3 in Concert'.

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Tracklist

  1. Track
    Artist
  2. 1.
    Le Tombeau De Couperin
    Le Tombeau De Couperin
    Maurice Ravel
  3. 2.
    Symphony No. 1 Op.9
    Symphony No. 1 Op.9
    Samuel Barber
  4. 3.
    Variations on a theme of Corelli Op.42
    Variations on a theme of Corelli Op.42
    Sergey Rachmaninov