Robin Ticciati & DSO Berlin - Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2 - All Music

Rachmaninov's Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27, is one of the most often recorded symphonies in the entire repertory, and this one, with conductor Robin Ticciati leading the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, is one of three to appear in the year 2021 alone (thus far). Ticciati is even competing with his own one-time mentor, Simon Rattle, and the London Symphony Orchestra, but he has hit the best-seller charts, and this is because he has something distinctive to offer. Despite its length, the Symphony No. 2 has been a crowd-pleaser since day one, pleasing not only classical audiences but pop fans (Eric Carmen lifted tunes from the third movement for 1976's Never Gonna Fall in Love Again, and had to pay royalties to Rachmaninov's estate) and jazz musicians. The work is packed with melodies that seem to invite conductors to wring out the emotion, and many have been happy to oblige. Ticciati has something different in mind. He takes the first-movement repeat, which is still often omitted (including by Rattle), and he presents a convincing case for doing so; the symphony, for all its tunefulness, has an unusually complex structure with elaborate evolution from its opening material. Rachmaninov put the repeat sign there for a reason, even if he later agreed to truncations of the work, and Ticciati gives listeners room to immerse themselves in the 24-minute movement, highlighting plenty of detail in the lower strings and winds. His slow movement is warm but emotionally restrained, accented by fine string work from Ticciati's Berliners (they are not the Berlin Philharmonic but are coming close). This all generates a structure where the finale, with its syncopations and big tunes, comes as an emotional release, and here, Ticciati loosens the reins. This may not be a Rachmaninov Second to tug the heartstrings, but it is one that delves deeply into the music.