Rachmaninov and the melody that wrote itself

Rachmaninov composed his Third Piano Concerto for his tour of the United States in 1909. During the tour, Gustav Mahler conducted the concerto with the New York Philharmonic with Rachmaninov himself as soloist. Mahler left a deep admiration for the composer because of the meticulous work during the rehearsals.

The Third Piano Concerto is known for its technical difficulty. Josef Hofmann, to whom it was dedicated, considered it too difficult. Reviews after its release were mixed: musicians appreciated it, but audiences and critics found it too emotionally demanding. It wasn't until late 1920, with pianist Vladimir Horowitz, that the concerto became what it is today: one of the most beloved concertos in the repertoire.

The concert begins ethereally, with a simple, almost haunting melody. One theory proposed that this opening piano melody was based on a liturgical chant, but Rachmaninov denied this, stating that the melody "simply wrote itself".