Rising star pianist’s thrilling Rachmaninov finale blows away a packed Royal Albert Hall

18 December 2023, 16:26 | Updated: 18 December 2023, 16:51

Storming Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 finale at the Royal Albert Hall | Classic FM

The final climax of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 is truly a moment to get the hearts thumping and the blood stirring – and here virtuoso Arsha Kaviani and one of the world’s great orchestras make it utterly unforgettable.

It’s an epic crescendo and a concerto finale to blow your socks off – and here’s a very memorable performance from one of the piano world’s rising stars.

Concertos finales are so often the most magical movements, full of virtuosity from the soloist, but Rachmaninov really knew how to build the excitement like no one else. With his trademark long, swirling melodies and thrilling flashes of sound, the great composer-pianist knew how to set the stage alight.

It’s the sort of musical magic that has led to his piano concertos being all-time favourites of players and listeners alike. In 2023, his Piano Concerto No. 2 was again voted to the top spot in the Classic FM Hall of Fame, our annual of classical music tastes.

Read more: Best Rachmaninov works: 10 of the composer’s greatest pieces of music

Watch above as Rachmaninov’s epic climax thunders before 5,000 in London’s Royal Albert Hall. This incredible performance was recorded in October of this year and features the outstanding rising star pianist Arsha Kaviani and one of the world’s great orchestras, Classic FM’s Orchestra in North West England, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Jamie Phillips.

Kaviani, a British-Iranian pianist, was one of Classic FM’s incredible soloists that night. Earlier in 2023 collective jaws dropped when he showcased his own solo piano arrangement of the first movement of this concerto.

This time joined by an orchestra, Kaviani was making a sensational Royal Albert Hall debut at Classic FM Live with Viking. His playing has drawn praise from a number of legendary pianists of our time including Krystian Zimerman, Daniel Barenboim and Sir Stephen Hough, who has termed him “a fearless and adventurous pianist”.

And there was a fearlessness to this moment, when the young pianist builds incredible intensity through the storm of Rachmaninov’s flurries of notes. Then final chords from piano and orchestra sound as all gives way to a thunderous ovation from the thousands in London’s iconic concert hall. What a moment!

You can watch this performance and the entire Classic FM Live concert on Monday 18 December at 8pm on Sky Arts.