A Concerto and Preludes that will "Rach" you.
Written: Sep 01 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Intense music by a soloist you've probably never heard of.
Cons: ....
The Bottom Line: Great addition to any classical music library. Worth the hunt to find this particular recording, not one of the selections is at all weak.
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| telynor's Full Review: Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto no 2, Preludes / Barr... |
Ok, sorry about the pun, but I had to grab your attention somehow. It's taken me a while, but I've started to really enjoy listening to Sergei Rachmaninoff's compositions. Especially the piano concerti. Considered to be one of the earliest of the modern composers or one of the last of the Romantics, depending on how you look at it, Rachmaninoff started composing when young, and wrote some of the most devilish piano concerti around. Indeed, many a player has been reduced to frustration and sometimes mental breakdowns over the complexity of Rachmaninoff's works.
For those of you whom are curious, a Concerto is a symphonic arrangement that features one or two instruments that have extensive solo sections, and with the rest of the orchestra giving back-up and counterpoint. A Prelude is a "character piece" usually written for solo piano but it can also be designed for other instruments. These are usually short and composed in 'sets' to explore a theme or key. Chopin was a master of them, as was Rachmaninoff. They're great for learning piano technique as well.
The second concerto is perhaps the most famous piece that Rachmaninoff wrote and it's remained not only a favorite with classical music lovers, but also with composers of popular songs. There will be parts of the second movement that will sound vaguely familiar, and it's proved a fertile ground for Hollywood composers to lift themes and leitmotivs from. This was written when Rachmaninoff was in his twenties, and after going through treatment for depression after the failure of his first concerto and not being able to write music for three years, he came forward with this concerto and the ten Preludes of his opus 23.
The piano soloist here is Barry Douglas, winner of the Gold Medal at the 1986 Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. He's a solid, if a trifle cool, performer and his technique is flawless.
The conductor is Michael Tilson Thomas, and he's leading the London Symphony Orchestra here.
RCA Victor Red Seal 09026-61679-2
Barry Douglas, pianist
London Symphony Orchestra
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op. 18: Allegro Moderato Starting off with several minor chords, this one swells into a sweeping arrangement of strings and piano. And it flows and pounds to a climatic gush at the end that almost makes your heart stop at the energy of it.
Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18: Adagio Sostenuto Gentle and sustained here, it's a complete opposite of the first movement. There's a touch of sadness and longing here, and the thunderous playing gives way to a soft exchange between the woodwinds and the piano. It's gorgeous, and if you listen carefully enough you'll hear where a modern pop composer lifted some of the music for the tune "All by Myself." The almost melancholy pace of the movement is carried through to the end, but gradually lifts to a more energetic mode and comes to a triumphant union and sets the stage for the wild last movement of the concerto. Then it subsides to a lengthy piano solo and calms us down to a light reprise of the opening bars of the movement and coming to a glorious conclusion.
Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18: Allegro Scherzando Almost manic in the intensity here, and begins with almost a martial air with the strings and then the piano takes over in a lengthy trill of notes and a fast, furious progression. You would think that Douglas would be making mistakes here, but he doesn't, staying just ahead of the orchestra and giving the listener a cyclical swirl of notes. It turns gentle in places, but soon enough the quick pace is back and off we go!
Prelude, Op.23 No.5, in G minor With a strong Latin beat, this is very close to a tango, with the music approaching and receding, much as two lovers dancing a tango, then it calms down into a more gentle romantic series then that wicked tango starts up again. The G-minor key gives it a dark, intense air that is slightly menacing.
Prelude, Op. 23 No.6, in E-flat Starting off in a set of scales, it's almost discordant, but soon enough you'll start to pick out the pattern. It's a very short piece.
Prelude, Op.23 No.7, in C minor Hard on the heels of the previous selection, this one races on in a flurry of notes and I've wondered how the pianist can keep his fingers from tying themselves into knots with this one. Then it eases back a notch, but doesn't loose any energy along the way.
Prelude, Op.23 No.3, in D minor Slower than the preceding, but still intense, it's a dark, stalking piece of music, but still has a light touch.
Prelude, Op.23 No.4, in D This one is lush, very romantic, perfect for seducing someone with your stylistic playing. It's a lovely piece and has a lot of the elements of the second movement from the Second Piano Concerto tucked away inside of it.
Prelude, Op.23 No.2, in B-flat We're back to quick and strong here, and it's almost discordant in the arrangement, but it still holds together.
Prelude, Op.3 No.2, in C-sharp minor Composed when he was just nineteen, in 1892, this was the first work of Rachmaninoff's that caught the public's attention. It's intense and certainly fiery. Starting off with three strong, deep chords, it's almost frightening in spots. If you saw the film "Shine," you'll recognize it.
On the whole, it's an excellent showcase for both the composer and soloist.
Recommended:
Yes
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