Description

Rachmaninoff's well-known piano cycle, composed in 1931, came after his renowned piano concertos and solo works had already cemented his fame. Yet this piece is far from the "work of an old man." Rather, his virtuosic variations on the "La folia" theme (adapted from a Corelli sonata) are a dazzling display of pianistic fireworks.

Rachmaninoff himself once remarked to a friend, "All this mad running about is necessary in order to efface the theme." But did he truly succeed in obscuring the underlying "madness" of the original "La folia" melody? Decide for yourself as you experience this captivating work.