Oslo Philharmonic — Rachmaninoff, Symphony No. 2, Oslo, 2014

Captured at the Oslo Concert Hall in 2014, this filmed live concert presents the Oslo Philharmonic conducted by its chief conductor Vasily Petrenko in Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 in E minor. Composed in 1907, this late-Romantic score is among the most beloved of the orchestral repertoire: four movements lasting close to an hour, celebrated for their long melodic lines, ardent lyricism and famous Adagio, one of the emotional peaks of symphonic music. Under Petrenko’s direction, the Norwegian orchestra unfolds a warmly coloured reading, attentive to transitions and climaxes, served by a carefully produced in-hall recording. The film lets the viewer follow the conductor’s gesture and the sections — ample strings, solo clarinet, generous brass — in a balance that highlights the work’s architecture. For classical music lovers, this 2014 recording is an excellent entry point into Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony, performed by a leading ensemble and a conductor renowned for his affinity with the Russian repertoire.