Despite less than 20 years of earthly life shared by them and a wide difference in their musical styles, Rachmaninoff and Brahms often have their names appear simultaneously on this year’s stage of classical music. The two master musicians are honoured by much more frequent staging of their works around the world because this year marks the 190^th anniversary of Brahms’ birth and the 150^th anniversary of Rachmaninoff’s birth.


In the next three months, we will enjoy many works by these two composers at the NCPA “Pure Classical” Concerts. On October 21^st, the first concert of the series will be held with Currentzis and the musicAeterna Orchestra to play Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2; On October 23^rd, Gergiev will raise his baton over the Mariinsky Orchestra for Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances; On October 27^th and 28^th, Daniele Gatti will make his debut as the conductor of the China NCPA Orchestra to give two concerts of Complete Brahms Edition, including Tragic Overture, Haydn Variations, and Symphony No. 3; On October 29^th, YU Long and the China Philharmonic Orchestra will join hands with the pianist Stephen Hough for Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1; On November 3^rd and 4^th, Chung Myung-whun will conduct the China NCPA Orchestra in performing Brahms’ Symphony No. 2; On November 8^th, the violinist Akiko Suwanai will present two violin sonatas by Brahms; On November 9^th, the pianist Matsuev will play Rachmaninoff’s Etudes-Tableaux, Prelude, Piano Sonata No. 2, etc.; On December 5^th, Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra will render Complete Rachmaninoff Edition; the Borodin Quartet and Maisky Trio will also interpret the classic chamber works by these two composers.