Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 2, the longest and one of the most popular of all his purely orchestral works, dates from the brief period he spent in Dresden, seeking refuge from the abortive revolution of 1905 and from the unrelenting demands placed upon him as a piano virtuoso. This gloriously melodic work, with its yearning, passionate writing for the strings, is today as widespread in its popularity as the music of Rachmaninov’s idol, Tchaikovsky.