Semyon Bychkov, WDR Sinfonieorchester Koln - Rachmaninov: The Bells; Symphonic Dances; Symphony No. 2 (2007)

A very interesting, sometimes even fascinating, study of the composer, the works, and the performers, this two-disc set will be mandatory viewing for anyone interested in the life and music of Sergey Rachmaninov. Directed by Enrique Sánchez Lansch and featuring conductor Semyon Bychkov leading the WDR Sinfonie Orchester Köln, the program is a mixture of documentaries and performances. The documentaries alternate between scenes from rehearsals, Bychkov describing Rachmaninov's life, and musicians from the orchestra discussing the scores and their relationship to them and to each other. The performances include not only The Bells and Symphonic Dances, but also Second Symphony. The documentaries create a vivid portrait of the composer and the performances paint a compelling fresco of his music. Though the performances of The Bells and the Symphonic Dances are also available on compact disc, anyone captivated by the Russian late romantic's music will likely find these video discs more involving. (James Leonard)

Cast:
Tatiana Pavlovskaya, soprano
Evgeny Akimov, tenor
Vladimir Vaneev, baritone
WDR Rundfunkchor Köln
Lege Artis Chamber Choir
WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
Conductor - Semyon Bychkov

Track:
DVD1:
The Bells, Op. 35 - Documentary and performance
Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27
DVD2:
Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 - Documentary and performance