With his Second Symphony, Sergei Rachmaninov delivered a powerful response to a deep artistic crisis. After the painful failure of his First Symphony, it took him years to regain the confidence to attempt another large-scale orchestral work.

The result is a symphony steeped in romantic richness — sweeping melodies, lush orchestral colours, and a constant undercurrent of melancholy. From its solemn opening bars to the soaring, impassioned finale, Rachmaninov unfolds a world of emotional depth: expansive, generous, and unabashedly heartfelt.