Russian program, Van Cliburn Tribute

For Ticket this week, I've written a single preview of two concerts — an all-Russian program, and a tribute to Van Cliburn. I was somewhat out of my element here. It's no secret that the Russian romantics annoy me. I like only a few of Tchaikovsky's small-scale works, and I have no Rachmaninoff in my record collection. None. Not a single prelude. Van Cliburn's career never really penetrated my consciousness, either. He was retreating from the concert life by the time I came along, and his choice of repertoire could be questionable. (The Yellow River Concerto? Seriously?) Fortunately, the Russian program includes Rimsky's Russian Easter Overture and The Rite of Spring, and there is some Wagner and Strauss in the Cliburn concert.