Symphonic dances

Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances Op. 45 were composed in 1940 as the composer's final major orchestral work during his American exile. The piece combines Rachmaninoff's characteristic late-Romantic musical language with a mature, sometimes resigned fundamental mood that marked his emigration years. The three movements demonstrate his mastery of orchestration and his ability to unite melancholic lyricism with virtuosic brilliance.

Typical of Rachmaninoff's output, the Symphonic Dances feature sweeping, expressive melodic arcs and a rich harmonic language that fuses Russian folklore with Western European traditions. The work is considered a summation of his compositional achievement, incorporating elements from his piano concertos, symphonies, and piano works. Particularly characteristic is the use of the Dies irae motif, which appears as a quotation throughout several of his late works.

The score calls for a large Romantic orchestra and demonstrates Rachmaninoff's masterful command of all instrumental colors. Despite the title, these are less dance movements in the literal sense than symphonic character pieces that incorporate dance elements and transform them poetically.