Czech Philharmonic: Vltava, Rachmaninoff Paganini

‘What I try to do when writing down my music is to make it say simply and directly that which is in my heart when I am composing’, said Rachmaninoff. Many fans would be hard-pressed to choose between Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and his Second Symphony - tonight they can have both.

Seong-Jin Cho follows in Rachmaninoff’s footsteps as soloist in a monumental set of variations showcasing every aspect of his skill. Strength and speed, poise and passion, delicacy and power, all have their moments in this pinnacle of the piano repertoire. And first comes Smetana’s Vltava from Má vlast— awarded BBC Music Magazine’s 2025 Orchestral Recording of the Year — a Czech national treasure, tracing the eponymous river from its bubbling source through the countryside, until it flows majestically through Prague.






Presented by the Barbican.

Part of International and Guest Ensembles.

Barbican Classical Music Programme receives major support from Marcus Margulies and additional support In Memory of John Murray.





Programme







Performers