Sergey Rachmaninov was better known in his day for his pianistic virtuosity than for his compositions, but his creative output has long been acknowledged as the enthralling legacy of a major creative artist. A thrilling masterpiece based on Edgar Allan Poe’s famous poem, The Bells is a choral symphony in all but name, its theme giving Rachmaninov the opportunity to explore his fascination with bell sounds. Spring is a dramatic portrayal of rebirth in a land gripped by ice, while the Three Russian Songs are folk-song settings that became a hit after the premiere under the baton of Leopold Stokowski.