Symphony No. 3 in A minor
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Work background
Researched classical background
Rachmaninoff's Third Symphony has three movements, with the central movement incorporating a scherzo inside a slower frame. A short motto returns across the work, linking passages with very different rhythmic profiles. The finale includes a reference to the Dies irae chant. Its more concentrated design offers a different orchestral scale from the expansive Second Symphony.
A listening guide
Listen for the opening motto returning and for the scherzo enclosed within the middle movement.
Listening suggestions are editorial guides to the music.
Forces: Orchestra
Composition: 1935-1936
Composed 1935-36; later revisions do not alter the identity of the work.
This entry describes the musical work or cycle. Composition, premiere and publication dates describe different events. Performers and recordings can be explored through the external listening search.
Boston Symphony Orchestra: Rachmaninoff Third Symphony
1935-36 composition, three-movement design, motto and Dies irae | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Sources for this work
Boston Symphony Orchestra: Rachmaninoff Third Symphony
1935-36 composition, three-movement design, motto and Dies irae | Reviewed 2026-10-19
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