Anton Rubinstein was a celebrated piano virtuoso, sought-after conductor, and - on the side - one of the most successful composers of his times. His Symphony No. 2, the ''Ocean Symphony,'' experienced more than two hundred performances when it was first written, statistics matched by hardly any other work. MDG is now re-releasing this symphony and other top-quality compositions by this Russian romanticist from the rich repertoire of its many years of extremely successful cooperation with the Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra. Alban Gerhardt, largely unknown at the time, created a tremendous sensation with Rubinstein's Cello Concerto. The Wuppertal Symphony absolutely has what it takes when it comes to unleashing such energy on the concert stage. George Hanson gives his musicians free reign, and the legendary acoustics of Wuppertal's Historische Stadthalle am Johannisberg do their part to overpower music fans with original musicality even in their own living rooms - bravi, bravissimi!
