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Written at his home in New York, this orchestral work was dedicated to Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, with which Rachmaninoff had been so close. At first, Rachmaninoff considered giving the three movements the distinctive titles of "Midday," "Twilight," and "Midnight," though he later decided against these titles. What is written is a set of idealized dance motifs realized in symphonic form. Unlike some of his earlier work, though, this piece emphasizes the mode of composition (its symphonic form) as opposed to the content of the composition (the rhythmic qualities of dance). The "Dis Irae," or plainsong melody, that appears in several earlier works comes to the foreground here in the third movement. The long composition is characterized by both a wide spectrum of orchestral color and imaginative thematic treatment.
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