Piano Concerto No. 2
Sergei Rachmaninoff
About the Song
After the failure of his Symphony No. 1 in 1897 due to the conductor, Alexander Glazunov, being intoxicated, Rachmaninoff was left with reviews of an abysmal performance and symphony itself. Years after, he was persuaded by friends and family to consult with Dr. Nicolai Dahl, both a hypnotist and an amateur musician. For months, Rachmaninoff has built the courage to write this new concerto, which saved his compositional career. It premiered on November 9, 1901, in Moscow, with the composer himself perform as the soloist. He dedicated this piece to Dr. Dahl, the man who helped revive Rachmaninoff from his demise as an artist.