Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943)

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

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Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: Florestan on December 04, 2021, 11:57:55 AM
Honestly, it's the only one I've heard so far.  :D
That's o.k....truly!  :)

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

VonStupp

#481
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

If you don't mind the intensity of the old Soviet orchestras, and the sound world of Russian singers, I pull out Svetlanov often (rec. 1979).

I also like the Ashkenazy mentioned earlier, but I don't know for The Bells alone; it came with his symphonies for me.

There are a lot of well-liked recordings of this work, though. I am sure you will get a lot of recommendations ;D

VS

 
"All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff."

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: VonStupp on December 04, 2021, 12:10:41 PM
If you don't mind the intensity of the old Soviet orchestras, and the sound world of Russian singers, I pull out Svetlanov often (rec. 1979).

I also like the Ashkenazy mentioned earlier, but I don't know for The Bells alone; it came with his symphonies for me.

There are a lot of well-liked recordings of this work, though. I am sure you will get a lot of recommendations ;D

VS

 
Thanks, VS!

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

staxomega

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 04, 2021, 11:32:18 AM
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.

The Sudbin/Chaushian disc is intelligently programmed with two other great performances of Borodin and Shostakovich's Cello Sonatas.

Mirror Image

Quote from: hvbias on December 04, 2021, 12:14:45 PM
The Sudbin/Chaushian disc is intelligently programmed with two other great performances of Borodin and Shostakovich's Cello Sonatas.

Ah yes, you know what...I own that recording (I just checked Amazon to make sure) and I haven't even heard it yet. :-[ So many recordings, so little time.

staxomega

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

I like the Svetlanov quite a bit as it sounds truly idiomatic, Svetlanov plus a classic Soviet state orchestra and all. Whatever you do IMO you have to get a version that is not sung in English.

staxomega

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 04, 2021, 12:16:14 PM
Ah yes, you know what...I own that recording (I just checked Amazon to make sure) and I haven't even heard it yet. :-[ So many recordings, so little time.

That is too funny, sorry  :laugh:

I can't throw rocks in glass houses though, I bought Gardiner's Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem for a second time by accident. Guessing the performance never left much of an impression on me LOL.

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: hvbias on December 04, 2021, 12:23:37 PM
I like the Svetlanov quite a bit as it sounds truly idiomatic, Svetlanov plus a classic Soviet state orchestra and all. Whatever you do IMO you have to get a version that is not sung in English.
Yes, of course!  No, no, no!

I do like the few Svetlanov recordings that I've heard.  And I did hear him at a concert years ago which a friend and I both appreciated.  :)

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Madiel

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 04, 2021, 12:16:14 PM
Ah yes, you know what...I own that recording (I just checked Amazon to make sure) and I haven't even heard it yet. :-[ So many recordings, so little time.

How many Christmas gifts have you bought yourself at this stage?
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

Mirror Image

Quote from: Madiel on December 04, 2021, 12:45:41 PM
How many Christmas gifts have you bought yourself at this stage?

A lot!

Karl Henning

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on December 04, 2021, 12:28:32 PM
Yes, of course!  No, no, no!

I do like the few Svetlanov recordings that I've heard.  And I did hear him at a concert years ago which a friend and I both appreciated.  :)

PD

I still chuckle over the fact that the back cover of the classic Melodiya LP had, not Poe's original poem, but a functionary's attempt to re-translate Balmont's Russian translation back into English, with predictably absurd results.
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 04, 2021, 12:54:18 PM
I still chuckle over the fact that the back cover of the classic Melodiya LP had, not Poe's original poem, but a functionary's attempt to re-translate Balmont's Russian translation back into English, with predictably absurd results.
Ouch!  Though I'm rather confused now.  So the original lyrics were from a Poe poem and translated into Russian?

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Karl Henning

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on December 04, 2021, 01:04:42 PM
Ouch!  Though I'm rather confused now.  So the original lyrics were from a Poe poem and translated into Russian?

PD

Aye, Rakhmaninov set Balmont's Russian translation of Poe.
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 04, 2021, 01:11:57 PM
Aye, Rakhmaninov set Balmont's Russian translation of Poe.
Thanks for the confirmation Karl!  :)

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Symphonic Addict



This is the first recording ever that convinced me of the greatness of the Cello Sonata. Man, I was missing a gem!
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Noam Chomsky

staxomega

#495
That clever Youtube algorithm putting in its work, these two came up on my feed today (not entirely too sure why, I've mostly been listening to 20th century and French music, but I won't argue at how much I enjoyed both of these videos!)

Garrick Ohlsson talking about Rach PC3: https://youtu.be/owfrXIaIwz4

I don't think I'll ever be able to unhear his comparison to a JSB Toccata in the opening with the piano. And as wonderful, hummable, and that sticking with you throughout the entire day that main theme is, he shares my favorite piano part with the second theme going into as he calls it "imaginative fantasy with hummingbird wings."

Thanks to Holden mentioning Rafael Orozco in the really great Chopin Preludes, I was looking forward to exploring more of his recordings, and he has an exceptional set of the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerti which has been in my very heavy rotation. Looking forward to hearing Kocsis as well, but I'm savoring every moment of that box and going through it slowly.

Seoncd one, Princess Diana: https://youtu.be/jNKRPpQqeEw?t=50

I thought this was touching, she was knew she was being filmed, and still chose to play something outside her capability. To me this is telling about her great love for Rachmaninoff, what a joy :)

BasilValentine

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on December 04, 2021, 01:11:57 PM
Aye, Rakhmaninov set Balmont's Russian translation of Poe.

It's not a translation of the Poe, but a paraphrase of it, a looser adaptation. This might partially explain why the "retranslation" noted above is so absurdly far from the original Poe. 

staxomega

#497
Anyone have thoughts on Steven Osborne in Etudes-Tableaux? Hyperion's short samples make it hard to judge other than not sounding over pedaled. I find op. 33 and 39 among the more hit or miss in cycles of piano repertoire, much more often on the miss. The two exceptional sets of all the ones I've heard being Nikolai Lugansky followed by Ashkenazy.

Edit: found a way to hear Osborne, this is substandard or middle of the road if I'm generous, he can play loud, but it's lacking in urgency or intensity. Most obvious fail is how stiff and measured he is in op. 39/3, made much worse when playing Lugansky immediately afterword who is in the realm of Richter or Horowitz (generally speaking, I realize neither recorded full sets) in this, 39/5, and nearly all others.

bhodges

Rach fans, last night Louis Langrée and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra did a magnificent Symphony No. 2, along with a lovely new oboe concerto by Guillaume Connesson, with soloist Dwight Perry. You can watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3DC6VbCIKM

--Bruce

Maestro267

Anyone else consider the Symphonic Dances a symphony in all but name? It doesn't adhere to strict symphonic form but then plenty of 20th century symphonies don't. Maybe a symphony without a slow movement?