Showing posts with label Rachmaninov. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rachmaninov. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Thursday, December 7, 2023
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Rachmaninov: Symphony No.3, Op.44
A question that seems to have puzzled some composers of symphonies is the following: should the slow movement be the second movement, preceding the Scherzo, or should it be the other way around?
Beethoven changed his mind only in his final (9th) symphony, putting the Scherzo in the second movement. So did Bruckner in his last two symphonies (8th and 9th). Mahler was ambivalent concerning this issue in his own 6th symphony, of which two versions exist where the Scherzo is placed either 2nd or 3rd.
Rachmaninov had an ingenious idea in his 3rd symphony: he "sandwiched" the Scherzo within the slow (second) movement, creating a most symmetric structure of the form ABA (A=slow, B=fast). Who says a great pianist cannot be simultaneously a very inventive master of symphonic form?
Beethoven changed his mind only in his final (9th) symphony, putting the Scherzo in the second movement. So did Bruckner in his last two symphonies (8th and 9th). Mahler was ambivalent concerning this issue in his own 6th symphony, of which two versions exist where the Scherzo is placed either 2nd or 3rd.
Rachmaninov had an ingenious idea in his 3rd symphony: he "sandwiched" the Scherzo within the slow (second) movement, creating a most symmetric structure of the form ABA (A=slow, B=fast). Who says a great pianist cannot be simultaneously a very inventive master of symphonic form?
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Monday, December 4, 2017
Saturday, March 18, 2017
Rachmaninov / Respighi: "The Sea and Seagulls" (Lopez-Cobos)
In 1929, Serge Koussevitzky had the idea that some of Rachmaninov's 'Etudes-Tableaux' for piano solo would sound well if orchestrated and he suggested Respighi for this task. Rachmaninov himself was delighted with the idea and suggested five of the pieces, additionally supplying Respighi with various programmatic ideas and titles. The first number in the set is "The Sea and Seagulls" and it is heard here in a performance by the Cincinnati Orchestra under Jesus Lopez-Cobos.
Friday, March 17, 2017
Rachmaninov - Respighi: 5 Etude-tableaux for orchestra (M. Marvulli)
Sergei Rachmaninov: 5 Etude-tableaux for orchestra
Orchestrated by Ottorino Respighi
I. La Mer et les mouettes (op.39 n.2)
II. La Foire (op.33 n.4)
III. Marche funèbre (op.39 n.7)
IV. Le Chaperon rouge et le loup (op.39 n.6)
V. Marche (op.39 n.9)
Orchestra Sinfonica della Provincia di Bari
Direttore: Michele Marvulli
Bari, Villa Romanazzi Carducci, 1997
Orchestrated by Ottorino Respighi
I. La Mer et les mouettes (op.39 n.2)
II. La Foire (op.33 n.4)
III. Marche funèbre (op.39 n.7)
IV. Le Chaperon rouge et le loup (op.39 n.6)
V. Marche (op.39 n.9)
Orchestra Sinfonica della Provincia di Bari
Direttore: Michele Marvulli
Bari, Villa Romanazzi Carducci, 1997
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3 - Martha Argerich
Sergei Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor, op.30
Martha Argerich, Piano
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester, Berlin
Dir. Riccardo Chailly
Sender Freies Berlin, Berlin, December 1982.
Martha Argerich, Piano
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester, Berlin
Dir. Riccardo Chailly
Sender Freies Berlin, Berlin, December 1982.
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Rachmaninov - The Rock, Symphonic Fantasia Op. 7
National Philharmonic of Russia
Dir. Dmitriy Vasilyev
Dir. Dmitriy Vasilyev
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Rachmaninoff and Weinberg in style!
By Thanassis Vavlidas
14/12/2013, Kremer - Dirvanauskaite - Buniatishvili (Athens Concert Hall, known as Megaron Moussikis of Athens).
The concert of these three well-known and highly estimated music interpreters could be entitled “Fascinating music for piano with participation of strings”. By saying this, we by no means underestimate the contribution of strings (violin and cello). However, the role of the piano is more than essential in the pieces by Rachmaninoff and, to a similar degree, in the piece by Weinberg also.
Gidon Kremer (Riga, 1947- ) is famous for his technical brilliance and his commitment both to classical and modern compositions (violin). In 1997 he founded the “Kremerata Baltica” Orchestra and he organized many tours all over the world. Giedre Dirvanauskaite (founding member of the “Kremerata Baltica”) has recorded and performed many classical and new pieces in collaboration with G. Kremer and his Orchestra (cello). The youngest of the interpreters is K. Buniatishvili (Tiflis, 1987- ), a multi-awarded pianist, who is adding extra value to classical concerts (piano).
The concert program itself was fascinating. It included both “trio elegiaques” by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 – 1943) and the “piano trio opus 24” by Mieczyslaw Weinberg (1919 – 1996) in between. The “trio elegiaque No.1” is written in the form of sonata and is completed in a single movement. Its first performance, with the composer himself in the piano, was a significant event for Rachmaninoff since it was the first time he performed out of the Conservatory. The intensity and clarity of the piano part is somehow undermining the sound balance with the strings throughout the piece. The pianist, with her rather tough touché, did not try to dull this impression but the strings succeeded in transmitting to the audience the composition’s fully emotional evolution.
The “trio elegiaque No. 2” was dedicated to the memory of Tchaikovsky whom the composer respected and admired. The structure of the piece is quite similar to the trio that Tchaikovsky wrote in memory of his friend, Nikolai Rubinstein. This piece received from the three interpreters a performance with an extraordinary range of expression. Their coordination led to a fine result that brought on the surface the dramatic phrases of the piano, the contrasts between the three instruments and a suppressed lamentation coming from the strings.
Mieczyslaw Weinberg is less known in Greece, although he is a great Russian composer of Polish-Jewish origins, known also as Moisei Samuilovich Vaynberg. Like many of his compositions, his “piano trio opus 24” is a programmatic piece, which succeeded in condensing different music styles from medieval ages to twentieth century in a way that they seem to be integrated in a form with solid structure and alternating expressions. As far as musical style is concerned, the final elegiac diminuendo connects this composition with Rachmaninoff’s trios. The interpreters took advantage of the composition’s multistylistic possibilities, thus creating a poetic atmosphere that was interrupted by loud exclamations. Sometimes we were reminded of Shostakovich, who had collaborated on many occasions with Weinberg, but the latter’s style is unique. We want to mention here the strings’ approach that created, during the lyrical parts, an emotional upgrade without extreme passion.
Having listened to these fine musicians and having appreciated their perfect collaboration, we need not wonder why modern composers dedicate to them, and entrust them with, their compositions...
Thanassis Vavlidas
Member of the “Union of drama and music Greek critics”
14/12/2013, Kremer - Dirvanauskaite - Buniatishvili (Athens Concert Hall, known as Megaron Moussikis of Athens).
The concert of these three well-known and highly estimated music interpreters could be entitled “Fascinating music for piano with participation of strings”. By saying this, we by no means underestimate the contribution of strings (violin and cello). However, the role of the piano is more than essential in the pieces by Rachmaninoff and, to a similar degree, in the piece by Weinberg also.
Gidon Kremer (Riga, 1947- ) is famous for his technical brilliance and his commitment both to classical and modern compositions (violin). In 1997 he founded the “Kremerata Baltica” Orchestra and he organized many tours all over the world. Giedre Dirvanauskaite (founding member of the “Kremerata Baltica”) has recorded and performed many classical and new pieces in collaboration with G. Kremer and his Orchestra (cello). The youngest of the interpreters is K. Buniatishvili (Tiflis, 1987- ), a multi-awarded pianist, who is adding extra value to classical concerts (piano).
The concert program itself was fascinating. It included both “trio elegiaques” by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 – 1943) and the “piano trio opus 24” by Mieczyslaw Weinberg (1919 – 1996) in between. The “trio elegiaque No.1” is written in the form of sonata and is completed in a single movement. Its first performance, with the composer himself in the piano, was a significant event for Rachmaninoff since it was the first time he performed out of the Conservatory. The intensity and clarity of the piano part is somehow undermining the sound balance with the strings throughout the piece. The pianist, with her rather tough touché, did not try to dull this impression but the strings succeeded in transmitting to the audience the composition’s fully emotional evolution.
The “trio elegiaque No. 2” was dedicated to the memory of Tchaikovsky whom the composer respected and admired. The structure of the piece is quite similar to the trio that Tchaikovsky wrote in memory of his friend, Nikolai Rubinstein. This piece received from the three interpreters a performance with an extraordinary range of expression. Their coordination led to a fine result that brought on the surface the dramatic phrases of the piano, the contrasts between the three instruments and a suppressed lamentation coming from the strings.
Mieczyslaw Weinberg is less known in Greece, although he is a great Russian composer of Polish-Jewish origins, known also as Moisei Samuilovich Vaynberg. Like many of his compositions, his “piano trio opus 24” is a programmatic piece, which succeeded in condensing different music styles from medieval ages to twentieth century in a way that they seem to be integrated in a form with solid structure and alternating expressions. As far as musical style is concerned, the final elegiac diminuendo connects this composition with Rachmaninoff’s trios. The interpreters took advantage of the composition’s multistylistic possibilities, thus creating a poetic atmosphere that was interrupted by loud exclamations. Sometimes we were reminded of Shostakovich, who had collaborated on many occasions with Weinberg, but the latter’s style is unique. We want to mention here the strings’ approach that created, during the lyrical parts, an emotional upgrade without extreme passion.
Having listened to these fine musicians and having appreciated their perfect collaboration, we need not wonder why modern composers dedicate to them, and entrust them with, their compositions...
Thanassis Vavlidas
Member of the “Union of drama and music Greek critics”
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Sergei Rachmaninov plays his Piano Concerto No. 2 (1st mov.)
Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) himself playing the first movement (Moderato) from his Second Piano Concerto. Recorded in 1929, with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977) conducting.
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