John Williams and Rachmaninoff

The suite from Far and Away creates a bridge with European traditions, drawing on Irish musical colours. Like Williams’s music, Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 features a language that moves listeners instantly, with long, memorable melodies and profound romantic nostalgia. Considered the composer’s masterpiece, it stands among the last great symphonies of late Romanticism, achieving a remarkable balance between accessibility, expressive richness and musical complexity