Gerstein Plays Rachmaninoff
Thu Jan 5 — Fri Jan 6, 2023
Orchestra Hall
In the 2019-20 season, pianist Kirill Gerstein was scheduled to perform all four of Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos with the Orchestra and he left all of us breathless after a stunning performance in a March 2020 concert broadcast to a live, radio-only audience just after COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. After a long wait, he finally returns to continue the cycle with Rachmaninoff’s expansive Third Concerto under the direction of conductor Ryan Bancroft. The concerts open with Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Solemn Prelude and close with the magnificent Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky.
A Few Things to Know
- Solemn Prelude premiered in 1899 but was never published and the orchestral parts were lost. The original manuscript was uncovered in the British Library in 2021, and the work is now receiving major orchestral performances worldwide.
- American conductor Ryan Bancroft was recently appointed to become the next chief conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra in Sweden, beginning in 2023. He is now making his Minnesota Orchestra debut in these performances.
Program
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COLERIDGE-TAYLOR
Solemn Prelude
1 min noteOne Minute Note
This music by a young Samuel Coleridge-Taylor premiered at Britain’s Three Choirs Festival in 1899, then was not performed again until its revival at the same still-active festival in 2021. It made its way to the U.S. for the first time just this past September. Slow and anthem-like, the overture journeys from minor to major across a 10-minute span.
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RACHMANINOFF
Piano Concerto No. 3
1 min noteOne Minute Note
The third of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s four virtuosic piano concertos balances moments of song-like simplicity and thunderous virtuosity. The opening Allegro is subtle and soulful, while the latter movements offer catchy themes, ingenious variations and a feather-light waltz.
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MUSSORGSKY/Ravel
Pictures at an Exhibition
1 min noteOne Minute Note
Modest Mussorgsky took as inspiration for this brilliant work—a memorial to his friend, the Russian painter Viktor Hartmann—ten colorful images in a posthumous exhibition of Hartmann’s work. Pictures was originally a virtusoso showpiece for solo piano, but now it is most widely known in this lush, magical orchestration by Maurice Ravel.
Artists
Minnesota Orchestra
Kirill Gerstein
piano
The Grammy Award-winning Minnesota Orchestra, now in its second century, ranks among America’s top symphonic ensembles, with a distinguished history of acclaimed performances in its home state and around the world; award-winning recordings, broadcasts and educational engagement programs; and a commitment to intentionally build concert programs to feature more works by composers of color, exploring music both contemporary and historic. In September 2024, Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård began his second season as music director.
Fascination for musical discovery combined with boundless curiosity, imagination and virtuosity have established Kirill Gerstein as one of today’s most prolific and compelling performers. As a pianist, curator, educator, musical leader and artistic collaborator, his exploration of resonant themes across a vast spectrum of repertoire has nourished relationships with many of the world’s leading orchestras, conductors, instrumentalists, singers, composers, festivals, recording labels and media platforms.
Plan your visit
- Pre-concert activities
- Valet Parking
- Pre-order Beverages
- Directions & Parking
- Helpful Tips
Pre-Concert Interview
When: Thurs Jan 5, 10:15am | Fri Jan 6, 7:15pm
Where: Follow Signage
Join Valerie Little, Minnesota Orchestra's Assistant Principal Librarian, in a conversation with guest conductor Ryan Bancroft about this concert and more.
Exhibit by The Museum of Russian Art
When: Pre-concert and Intermission
Where: Mezzanine
The Museum of Russian Art presents an exhibition of rare cultural artifacts and objects of folk art from its unique collections. One of the artworks on display is directly connected to Pictures at an Exhibition, inspired by the composer’s visit to an exhibition of Viktor Hartmann’s artworks. Mussorgsky composed the Baba Yaga music after seeing Hartmann’s design of the clock in the shape of Baba Yaga’s House on Chicken legs. TMORA owns a clock based on the picture!
Know Before You Go
An engaging performance awaits, and the fun doesn’t stop there. Make this visit your own with food and activity options. Browse these helpful tips, and when your concert date arrives, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy.
Directions & Parking
All the information you need to know for getting to and from Orchestra Hall. Parking is just steps away from Orchestra Hall in the city-owned and skyway-connected 11th and Marquette Ramp.
Pre-order beverages
Skip the lines at the bar! Pre-order your intermission beverage via the MN Orch App when you arrive at Orchestra Hall.
Video: Kirill Gerstein - Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3
Accessibility Services
- Armless & Bariatric Chairs
- Assistive Listening Devices
- Large-Print Programs
- Noise-Cancelling Headphones
- Service Animals
- Wheelchair & Accessible Seating
Additional services are available upon request.
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