Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943)

Started by Chaszz, December 10, 2009, 04:35:52 PM

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Karl Henning

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on December 03, 2021, 09:23:14 AM
Booo!  ;)

PD

p.s.  Love his piano concertos!  😍

Stravinsky was a real rainer-upon-parades. Love his music, all the same. And I love Rakhmaninov's no less!
PD, do you know his piano trio, Op. 9?
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on December 03, 2021, 09:30:49 AM
Stravinsky was a real rainer-upon-parades. Love his music, all the same. And I love Rakhmaninov's no less!
PD, do you know his piano trio, Op. 9?
Yes, though it's been ages since I've played the CD.  Many years ago, I purchased that classic one with the Beaux Arts Trio:



PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Karl Henning

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on December 03, 2021, 09:35:43 AM
Yes, though it's been ages since I've played the CD.  Many years ago, I purchased that classic one with the Beaux Arts Trio:



PD

Superb!
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Pohjolas Daughter

Pohjolas Daughter

Karl Henning

Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

staxomega

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on December 03, 2021, 09:22:06 AM
There was, of course, Stravinsky's quip: six feet of Russian gloom.

Someone that quotes Dies Irae a bunch of times isn't a cheery fellow?  :laugh:

Madiel

Quote from: BasilValentine on December 03, 2021, 07:42:48 AM
Don't all of his big works in the minor mode (except the first symphony and Isle of the Dead) have a triumphant finale in the major mode?

Well I don't necessarily listen to "big works"...

The Symphonic Dances, my favourite larger scale work, end with a pretty big crash. Admittedly it might be a big crash in a major key, but it's still not something I'd place the adjective triumphant next to.
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

Karl Henning

Quote from: hvbias on December 03, 2021, 10:50:37 AM
Someone that quotes Dies Irae a bunch of times isn't a cheery fellow?  :laugh:

(* chortle *)
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Symphonic Addict

The Bells has to be my favorite choral symphony by any composer. It's ineffably ravishing, and all of it packed in less than 40 minutes in most of performances.

His Second Symphony would come second (no pun intended) after the choral symphony, and I couldn't decide between the 1st and 3rd. Maybe a tie, although I could favour the 1st because of the freshness of the music. FOr me it sounds rather gothic, like evoking the impressions of a reading inspired by Dracula or a lugubrious topic. The motto of the work heavily reminds me of a gothic-like scene.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Mirror Image

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on December 03, 2021, 06:08:28 PM
The Bells has to be my favorite choral symphony by any composer. It's ineffably ravishing, and all of it packed in less than 40 minutes in most of performances.

His Second Symphony would come second (no pun intended) after the choral symphony, and I couldn't decide between the 1st and 3rd. Maybe a tie, although I could favour the 1st because of the freshness of the music. For me it sounds rather gothic, like evoking the impressions of a reading inspired by Dracula or a lugubrious topic. The motto of the work heavily reminds me of a gothic-like scene.

Without question, The Bells is a masterpiece. I need to go back to the 1st symphony and give it a fresh listen as it's been too long.

kyjo

Quote from: Mirror Image on November 30, 2021, 08:35:56 PM
Kyle, I watched most of your performance (I got pulled away in the last six minutes or so), but your musicianship is as fine as your own tastes in music. Beautiful playing all-around and tell the pianist William Shi that a Rachmaninov fan from Georgia enjoyed his playing as well. :)

Thank you, John, and to everyone else who has offered such kind words about my performance! :)
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 03, 2021, 07:49:48 PM
Without question, The Bells is a masterpiece. I need to go back to the 1st symphony and give it a fresh listen as it's been too long.

The Nézet-Séguin recording (the 1st) on DG with the Philadelphia Orchestra is not to be missed!
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Mirror Image

Quote from: kyjo on December 03, 2021, 07:51:41 PM
Thank you, John, and to everyone else who has offered such kind words about my performance! :)

You're welcome. I'm going to watch your performance again tomorrow, but this time I hope without interruptions. ;)

Mirror Image

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on December 03, 2021, 08:23:24 PM
The Nézet-Séguin recording (the 1st) on DG with the Philadelphia Orchestra is not to be missed!

Thanks, Cesar. I'll have to check out this recording. I've been rather impressed with many of the Nézet-Séguin recordings I've heard so far.

staxomega

I've mostly been on a Stravinsky binge these last couple of days, went back to some Rachmaninoff after kyjo's beautiful account of the Cello Sonata.

Isle of the Dead, The Bells (Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony. I imagine he has recorded this many times for Melodiya, there is no date on this MFSL disc for the Melodiya recordings they licensed, just 1974, 1975 copyright)
Isle of the Dead (Reiner, CSO)
The Rock (Kitajenko, USSR Radio Symphony from the Melodiya Rachmaninoff box. Surprisingly this is not either Melodiya Anthology of Russian Symphony Music box, 1984)
Prince Rostislav (Fedoseyev, USSR State Symphony, same box above, 1985)
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Reiner, Rubinstein, CSO)
Cello Sonata (Yevgeny Sudbin, Alexander Chaushian)
Sergei Babayan's DG Rachmaninoff disc (IMO the greatest Rachmaninoff solo piano disc of the 21st century)

and first time hearing the Nezet-Seguin Symphony 1 which was quite fine.

Mirror Image

Quote from: hvbias on December 04, 2021, 11:25:56 AM
I've mostly been on a Stravinsky binge these last couple of days, went back to some Rachmaninoff after kyjo's beautiful account of the Cello Sonata.

Isle of the Dead, The Bells (Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony. I imagine he has recorded this many times for Melodiya, there is no date on this MFSL disc for the Melodiya recordings they licensed, just 1974, 1975 copyright)
Isle of the Dead (Reiner, CSO)
The Rock (Kitajenko, USSR Radio Symphony from the Melodiya Rachmaninoff box. Surprisingly this is not either Melodiya Anthology of Russian Symphony Music box, 1984)
Prince Rostislav (Fedoseyev, USSR State Symphony, same box above, 1985)
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Reiner, Rubinstein, CSO)
Cello Sonata (Yevgeny Sudbin, Alexander Chaushian)
Sergei Babayan's DG Rachmaninoff disc (IMO the greatest Rachmaninoff solo piano disc of the 21st century)

and first time hearing the Nezet-Seguin Symphony 1 which was quite fine.

Thanks for this quick write-up. I'm definitely familiar with the Svetlanov, Fedoseyev and Kitajenko performances (or various performances in their cases). I don't know the Rubinstein/Reiner or Sudbin/Chaushian performances nor the Nézet-Séguin of which you're the second to mention this performance recently and give it a positive note.

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: hvbias on December 04, 2021, 11:25:56 AM
I've mostly been on a Stravinsky binge these last couple of days, went back to some Rachmaninoff after kyjo's beautiful account of the Cello Sonata.

Isle of the Dead, The Bells (Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony. I imagine he has recorded this many times for Melodiya, there is no date on this MFSL disc for the Melodiya recordings they licensed, just 1974, 1975 copyright)
Isle of the Dead (Reiner, CSO)
The Rock (Kitajenko, USSR Radio Symphony from the Melodiya Rachmaninoff box. Surprisingly this is not either Melodiya Anthology of Russian Symphony Music box, 1984)
Prince Rostislav (Fedoseyev, USSR State Symphony, same box above, 1985)
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Reiner, Rubinstein, CSO)
Cello Sonata (Yevgeny Sudbin, Alexander Chaushian)
Sergei Babayan's DG Rachmaninoff disc (IMO the greatest Rachmaninoff solo piano disc of the 21st century)

and first time hearing the Nezet-Seguin Symphony 1 which was quite fine.
I don't believe that I've ever heard "The Bells" before.  I see that it's listed as a choral symphony.  Any particular recommendations from you or anyone else here?

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Florestan

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on December 04, 2021, 11:46:23 AM
I don't believe that I've ever heard "The Bells" before.  I see that it's listed as a choral symphony.  Any particular recommendations from you or anyone else here?

PD

Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: Florestan on December 04, 2021, 11:48:28 AM

Care to elaborate at all as to what you like about it?  I'd love to know. :)

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Florestan

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on December 04, 2021, 11:52:55 AM
Care to elaborate at all as to what you like about it?  I'd love to know. :)

PD

Honestly, it's the only one I've heard so far.  :D
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini