Rachmaninoff Prelude in G minor Op. 23 No. 5

[faj]

Another recording of Rachmaninoff prelude in G minor 
Any comment/ criticism/ advice are most welcome

Best Regards,
Faj

[pianistimo]

drats.  my head won't let go of tunings.  as i hear it - the bass is too sharp - and it's tuned exactly the same across the board -from bass to treble.  get the tuner to 'mean tune' this thing.  then, we will hear some russian bass.

btw, i think you are very good.  i like that you don't pound.  and, you have sensitivity to 'lines.'  sometimes i think the tempo becomes 'flippant' instead of steady and serious.  esp. the ending.  but, most times not. 

[rachfan]

Hi faj,

Yours is a very effective rendition overall.  Good job!  A few thoughts: 

1) You have some difficulty scrambling for the correct notes in measure 41.  Suggestion: Back in measure 40 take the last arpeggio in the LH with fingering 5, 2, 1, 4; then take the final two notes of it, the G and A in the RIGHT HAND with 1, 2.  That frees the LH to "escape" for early preparation to make the leftward leap from the treble clef G down to the low D, thereby enabling you to  land there with security to start the first LH arppegio in 41.  If you're not already doing it, try it and see what you think.

2) In the meno mosso section, you do a fine job bringing out the inner voices.  In 46, I suspect we both use the same technique to bring out that difficult but beautiful middle line there.  Very nice. 

3) In 50-52, it sounds as though in the RH D major octave chords, you supress the bottom Ds in the 16th notes, playing the F#-high D 6th intervals only, then include the bottom D of the chord on the concluding 8ths of those figures.  To me, those chords are harmonic, not melodic, so are more background than foreground, and not really points of particular interest in the context.  The interspersed staccato 8ths are really the melodic line there to be highlighted, I'm sure you would agree.  I see the harmonic chords as being like the rhythmic hooves of horses ridden by the Russian Cossacks, uniform and predictable, albeit at a leisurely post "clip-clop" pace rather than a pounding gallop in this section transitioning to Tempo Primo.  You're interpretation is certainly defensible, but I'm not sure that it's consistent with performance practice.  Thus, some listeners might find themselves adapting their ears to it, finding it a bit distracting.  This is one of those "in the eye of the beholder" things--or for music, "in the ear of the listener". 

4) I like your pedaling a lot.  There are places you use little or no pedal, such as in measures 15 and in the coda, for example.  That's just as it should be! 

5)  You do a great job in 72, 73, 76 and 77 in articulating the figures of five notes on the second half of the third beats and the fourth beats-- each melded group of four 16ths and an eighth.  By then some fatigue is setting in, and it's a challenge to evenly execute those figures.  You manage it well.  The fact is, this prelude is an "athletic" piece! 
 
Thanks for posting your rendition of this prelude.

     

[faj]

Thanks a lot to take time to hear my recording and also for the comments.

Pianistimo, sorry for the tune and low quality recording. I tuned my piano about 1.5 month a go but it's already out of tune again 

Rachfan, thanks so much for your comments and great advice/ solution !
You're so well educated . I'll try your kind suggestion.
Yes,  I must say this piece is not easy, at least for me...

Thanks so much for all commentary and advises  ....

Best Regards,
Faj