London Philharmonic Orchestra & Vladimir Jurowski - Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 1 & Isle of the Dead (2019) [24/96]

Recorded live at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, London on 3 October 2014 (The Isle of the Dead) and 14 December 2016 (Symphony No. 1).

“Jurowski drove The Isle of the Dead forward… drawing exceptional intensity from the LPO.” (The Guardian)

The performance of The Isle of the Dead was widely critically acclaimed. Bachtrack noted Vladimir Jurowski’s “hypnotic” conducting, noting particularly that “the clarity and control he exercised in [The Isle of the Dead] were very fine. He drew a sonorous cello sound, later matched by lower woodwinds, and the harp and pizzicato strings… brought an eerie chill to the Festival Hall.”

Rachmaninoff’s youthful Symphony No. 1 is not frequently performed or recorded. This is the first time it has been released on the label.

This is the second recording of The Isle of the Dead on the LPO’s own label. It was recorded live as part of the opening concert of the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s highly praised 2014-15 season Rachmaninoff: Inside Out, which explored the life and works of the composer.

Symphony No. 1 was also recorded live in concert. The Financial Times described the performance as “a fascinating experience” and Colin Anderson, in Classical Source, noted “The LPO was in superb form.”

Tracklist:
1 The Isle of the Dead, Op.29
2 Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 13: I. Grave. Allegro ma non troppo
3 Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 13: II. Allegro animato
4 Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 13: III. Larghetto
5 Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 13: IV. Allegro con fuoco

Personnel:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Vladimir Jurowski, conductor