Concerto for Piano No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 Cover Image

Concerto for Piano No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18: Conductor Score

$70.00 USD
$70.00 USD
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Concerto for Piano No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 Cover Image
Concerto for Piano No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18: Conductor Score

Concerto for Piano No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18: Conductor Score

By Sergei Rachmaninoff

Item: 36-A241901
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Description
Written between the autumn of 1900 and April 1901, Sergei Rachmaninoff's Concerto for Piano No. 2 remains one of the composer's most enduringly popular pieces and cemented his reputation as composer of concerti.  It also served as confirmation of the end of Rachmaninoff's three-year bout with clinical depression and writer's block that stemmed, in part, from the poor reception by critics of his first symphony in 1897. Instrumentation: Solo Piano: 2.2.2.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).

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Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Orchestra Library
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
ISBN10: 1-58-106838-7
ISBN13: 978-1-58-106838-2
UPC: 660355021398
SKU: 36-A241901
Instrumentation: 2, 2, 2, 2 - 4, 2, 3, 1, timp, perc, str, [solo piano]

More about this title

About the Composer: Sergei Rachmaninoff

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) was a Russian composer and pianist whose technical mastery and emotional depth transformed the concerto form in the early twentieth century. His second piano concerto, written during his recovery from severe depression and compositional paralysis, became the work that restored his confidence and secured his place among the great concerto composers. Rachmaninoff's gift for sweeping melodies, rich harmonic language, and idiomatic writing for both piano and orchestra established a standard that conductors and soloists continue to pursue.

Why we love this

This is a conductor's dream: Rachmaninoff orchestrates with such clarity and purpose that every section of the orchestra has meaningful material, yet the solo piano never feels secondary. The work demands technical fluency from your ensemble while offering genuinely moving music that audiences recognize and love immediately. It's the rare large-scale concerto that combines serious musical substance with the kind of accessibility that makes concert programming both artistically rewarding and ticket-friendly.

What to expect

The Second Piano Concerto unfolds with Romantic grandeur and introspection, moving from stormy passion to achingly tender lyricism. The celebrated second movement offers one of music's great moments of repose, where piano and orchestra breathe together in shared vulnerability before the final movement sweeps toward triumph and resolution.

Who it's for

Conductors leading skilled chamber orchestras or youth orchestras with strong string sections and competent wind players will find this work within reach. You'll need a soloist with solid technical facility and musical maturity to carry the work's emotional weight, but the reward is one of the most satisfying collaborative experiences in the concerto repertoire.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the opening strings against the solo piano's declarative entrance; Rachmaninoff expects the orchestra to establish the harmonic and emotional foundation before the soloist claims the spotlight.
  • Shape the famous second-movement melody with sustained, singing tone from your strings; resist the tendency to rush, and let the soloist's accompaniment settle into the harmonic landscape rather than drive ahead.
  • Coordinate carefully with the soloist during the cadenzas and rapid passagework, particularly in the outer movements; cue entries clearly and maintain ensemble cohesion when the solo part becomes technically demanding.
  • Honor the dynamic architecture of the finale; the accumulating energy depends on precise ensemble discipline and clear communication about tempo relationships between sections.

How to use it

This work anchors a half or full concert and works beautifully as a centerpiece flanked by shorter orchestral or chamber works. It suits festivals, competition showcases, or spring concerts where you want to demonstrate your orchestra's ensemble maturity and your soloists' artistry in a single, unified statement.

Skills your students will build

  • Balancing solo and ensemble textures in large-scale forms
  • Sustaining lyrical phrasing across extended harmonic progressions
  • Coordinating with featured soloists during rapid passagework and technical flourishes
  • Executing Romantic-era orchestration with clarity and warmth
  • Shaping dramatic arcs across three movements with contrasting tempos and moods

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