In 1940, Sergei Rachmaninov composed 'The Symphonic Dances, Op. 45. It's an orchestral suite in three movements and it became Rachmaninov's last composition, summarizing his compositional output in total. The work is fully representative of the composer's later style with its curious, shifting harmonies, the almost Prokofiev-like grotesquerie of the outer movements and the focus on individual instrumental tone colors throughout (highlighted by his use of an alto saxophone in the opening dance). Nowadays the 'Symphonic Dances' are as well an audience as musicians favorite and programmed by many orchestra's all over the world.
