Rachmaninov Bb minor Sonata, 1st Movement

[gaer]

This is my own blend of the orgininal and revised editions. I recorded it in the late 1990s, but I caught many things that bothered me and re-recorded many sections.

I'm not totally satisfied, not by any means, but if I wait until I am to share it, I'll be dead first.

Gary

[tompilk]

Very good. I think i prefer it a bit faster but otherwise it sounds good... I wish i could play like that...

[rob47]

Man this is just a wicked interp. Sounds like Horowitz!

respect!

roberto

[wzkit]

This is really good stuff. Awesome! I'm quite lost for words really, except to say that this is one of my favourite sonatas, and Horowitz's version from the late 1970s is quite deeply imprinted in my mind, and yours is pretty damn good too!

Which are your favourite recordings of this sonata (besides your own of course)? I love Horowitz (both versions) and Van Cliburn in particular. Others that I like are Alexander Kobrin's performance at the Van Cliburn competition, Simon Trepeksci (is that how you spell it?), Zoltan Kocsis and Freddy Kempf.

[thracozaag]

 Absolutely terrific; loved everything (and very nice job assimiliating both versions) aside from the very opening.  Would love to hear the rest of it

koji

[thracozaag]

Which are your favourite recordings of this sonata (besides your own of course)? I love Horowitz (both versions) and Van Cliburn in particular. Others that I like are Alexander Kobrin's performance at the Van Cliburn competition, Simon Trepeksci (is that how you spell it?), Zoltan Kocsis and Freddy Kempf.

  I have a couple bootleg Horowitz (including the famous one where he snaps a string in the 2nd movement) that are flabbergasting.

koji

[m1469]

Well, there is certainly not much in the way of criticism that I can give you at this point in my experience.

I will breifly comment on what I appreciate about it though.  Overall, I appreciate your purity and commitment.  By purity, I mean that your person has not gotten in the way of the music, however, it is evident that you have thoroughly filtered the musical ideas through your person and have reached some decisions.  And then you gave full commitment to those decisions.

What I personally appreciate about your decisions are things that I have agreed on, of course, in my own thinking about how to interpret this piece.  Generally, at this stage in my study of it, I have decided that I feel it needs to have a raw and sometimes "crashy" quality to it.  Not that it cannot be rounded and refined, but imo there needs to be something almost animalistic about it.  I feel that you have captured this in your recording.  The only thing holding back your deeper colours is the piano, however, they are still evident with what you have.

I would really love to hear the 2nd and 3rd movement.  Is that possible ?

I am most certainly happy you did post this, even though you are not 100% satisfied.  And of course, neither was Rachmaninov himself, so maybe it's even appropriate


m1469

[zheer]

Do you know what kind of comments worry me, comments like yeah it was good, but not as good as Cortot or horowitz or Richter,i make that mistake.Anyway you play this really well, i have noticed that your old recordings are better than your new ones , this one seems to be far better than the other.All the best.

[gruffalo]

that was very good, i thoroughly enjoyed it, however, i think what might be the final thing to add (in my opinion) is a bit more pedal. it gets dry in a lot of those real rich places. but overall there is good control, lovely sounds and it was enjoyable.

[berrt]

but if I wait until I am to share it, I'll be dead first.

Gary, thank you for the recording. I just heard it 2 times and enjoyed it really. Im impressed by the balance between precision and emotion.
Ill be dead some centuries before i reach that level (but thats ok with me).

Gert

[da jake]

Great job gaer. You have excellent dynamic sense, and a wonderful tone.  Judging by this recording, it seems you're the sort of musician who has the ability and understanding to give a performance of large scale compositions that would hold together really well. Would you ever record something like the Liszt Sonata or the Alkan Concerto?

I have a couple bootleg Horowitz (including the famous one where he snaps a string in the 2nd movement) that are flabbergasting.

koji

Second movement?? How did he manage that?  what!!

Post dat ***. U know where. 

[thracozaag]

Second movement?? How did he manage that?  what!!

  In the eminor runs before the big run that ends in the low 'A', he snapped something in the left hand chords; pretty funny.

koji

[Dazzer]

i personally prefer this sonata to be more aggressive, and dynamic... i have my own idea of the piece, but hey you play better than me

good job.

[crazy for ivan moravec]

whoa! great playing!

i have a feeling it was played on a digital piano? (which is more difficult to play on, hehe) pls do enlighten me... or is it the recording equipment that bothers me? 

please post the other movements!!!

[wzkit]

i personally prefer this sonata to be more aggressive, and dynamic... i have my own idea of the piece, but hey you play better than me

good job.

May I make the bold assumption that based on his recordings posted here, Gary plays better than 90% of the pianists in this forum.

*ducks for cover*

[lourak]

This is my own blend of the orgininal and revised editions. I recorded it in the late 1990s, but I caught many things that bothered me and re-recorded many sections.

I'm not totally satisfied, not by any means, but if I wait until I am to share it, I'll be dead first.

Gary

[lourak]

Beautiful work!!!  I would love to hear you perform it a little more expansively -  I would let it breathe a bit more...perhaps some more pedaling.  Is this a digital piano perhaps? 

Lourak

[superstition2]

Very nice!

However, it did sound a bit too much like background jazz. The piano sounds a bit too mechanical. I also don't like the revised (cut) version of the sonata much. Your accuracy is very pleasing, but I don't feel much emotion.

[erak]

I've been listening to this for quite some time now. It rocks! I don't like the opening too much, but it doesn't take long before it gets REALLY good. Congrats, would love to hear the other movements too!

The piano does you no justice, btw..

[I Love Xenakis]

Listen to Lewenthal's recording.  Take notes.  I think that's what you're going for here.  I know it's not the same version but you could sort of use it as a guide.

[gaer]

Let me answer one question first, although I have written about this specifically before. To all those who asked me what instrument I used, yes, it was an electronic keyboard. An old one in fact. It's old technology.

I've considered all the comments, positive and negative, and I have one request: it would be much more helpful if those people who think I missed important things, played parts badly in some way, would be more specific by mentioning specific measures, sections, etc.

Gary

[crazy for ivan moravec]

whoa! great playing!

i have a feeling it was played on a digital piano? (which is more difficult to play on, hehe) pls do enlighten me... or is it the recording equipment that bothers me? 

please post the other movements!!!

sorry for asking about the piano again, gaer! i forgot that you told me about it already.

oh well, i guess the "background jazz" comment equals some "deep understanding" for the music here. hehehe.

two of my pianist friends from the conservatory listened and thought it was great... never mentioned anything like "background jazz". they were the ones who asked for the 2 other movements.

all the best.

[I Love Xenakis]

You should never quit.  Ever.  It was close to being very good.


But the whole fishing for sympathy thing never goes over well on forums.  Try to steer clear of it.

[superstition2]

sorry for asking about the piano again, gaer! i forgot that you told me about it already.

oh well, i guess the "background jazz" comment equals some "deep understanding" for the music here. hehehe.

two of my pianist friends from the conservatory listened and thought it was great... never mentioned anything like "background jazz". they were the ones who asked for the 2 other movements.

all the best.

Does it take a deep understanding to hear the difference between a digital piano and a Steinway?

[berrt]

Does it take a deep understanding to hear the difference between a digital piano and a Steinway?

That is NOT the same?

Berrt

[crazy for ivan moravec]

Does it take a deep understanding to hear the difference between a digital piano and a Steinway?

wow that's right, of course it doesn't.

but it takes some deep understanding to know that i was more of hinting Gaer to do some recordings on an acoustic piano because they're all great recordings. i've been doing that ever since i started listening to his recordings. i just apologized because i thought he got pissed at me this time. apparently, not. i wouldn't have hinted if only i remembered his PM about his situation right now that he couldn't record on an acoustic.

but only those who comment "background jazz" to a great recording of the rachmaninoff sonata makes me realize how "deep" an understanding of the music can get with those people. like their deep understanding of scriabin's music, too.