Rach Op. 23

[dbrainiak914]

I love this set of preludes.  Every piece is so interesting.  I'm strongly thinking about learning (or starting to learn) the whole set.  How do these pieces stack up to each other technically/musically? 

No. 1 - f#m
No. 2 - Bb
No. 3 - dm
No. 4 - D
No. 5 - gm
No. 6 - Eb
No. 7 - cm
No. 8 - Ab
No. 9 - Eb
No. 10  - Gb

[grazioso]

Bb major is probably the hardest technically althogh i think No.5 (g minor) is hard to get neat and accurate. Took me a long while to learn

Musically (just as important!!!!!!!!!) i love the d major, the last two chords showing how simplicity can be so amazing.

Have you heard Richter's recordings, awesome examples of how to play rachmaninov.

[hodi]

the op.23/2 is a nightmare for the left hand.

[stevie]

the op.23/2 is a nightmare for the left hand.

even more of a nightmare if you wish to play it as stunningly as gavrilov.

i also have a DVD on which nikolai lugansky plays 2 of these preludes, stunning performances.

he plays the 5th and 7th, probably my 2 favourites along with the 2nd.

[grazioso]

i think the majority of op 23 pales in comparison to the prelude in b minor op 32 no 10 especially in musical terms. Op 32 is altogether a more devolped set but op 23 certainly has some great performance pieces!!

[dbrainiak914]

Yeah, I love 32-10, possibly my favorite of the preludes.  But I find Op. 32 set a more little random and similar than Op. 23.  I could actually imagine the Op. 23 performed and being a cool performance; but I would get bored with the Op. 32.  Just not as many memorable moments as a whole, IMO.

[nicolaievich]

I started studying op.23 no.3 in d minor some days ago. I think it is one of the easiest in this set together with no.4 in d major, but it has huge musical richness. Very nice piece to start with all rachmaninoff's preludes in my humble opinion.


I love that last low d!!! 

[dbrainiak914]

7, 8, and 9 seem pretty crazy.  How do these rank against 2, 5?

I'm thinking 10<4<6<1<3<8<5<7<9<2.  What do you all think?

[orlandopiano]

I love this set of preludes.  Every piece is so interesting.  I'm strongly thinking about learning (or starting to learn) the whole set.  How do these pieces stack up to each other technically/musically? 

No. 1 - f#m
No. 2 - Bb
No. 3 - dm
No. 4 - D
No. 5 - gm
No. 6 - Eb
No. 7 - cm
No. 8 - Ab
No. 9 - Eb
No. 10  - Gb

23/9 in E flat minor is undoubtedly the hardest of the set.  And no, 23/2 is not as hard as it sounds.

[thierry13]

23/9 in E flat minor is undoubtedly the hardest of the set. And no, 23/2 is not as hard as it sounds.

23/9 is really the hardest. Not if you want to play it at an ashkenazyan speed, but if you want to play it at a mei-ting sun speed. Mei-ting sun is more suitable for the piece,it's a presto,remember. And no.2 doesn't sound hard at all. But what a pregnant dog it is.