George Rochberg’s Symphony No. 2 made the composer’s name at its New York première in 1961 under George Szell. Its helter-skelter, gritty, impassioned language, described by the composer as ‘hard romanticism’ is a compelling wartime testament even after nearly fifty years. Imago mundi, inspired by a three-week visit to Japan, is a ‘Ritual’ for orchestra that calls to mind the hypnotic timelessness of Japanese Gagaku music.