Rachmaninoff, Prelude Op. 32, No. 10 in Bm

[rachfan]

This is probably one of the most played and familiar preludes in the set.

[rachfan]

For Rachmaninoff fans:  I just thought I'd dust this piece off from the archives and repost it for anyone who might like to listen to it.

David 

[infectedmushroom]

A shame that nobody replied to this when you've posted it in June '06!


I really enjoyed listening to your performance.

[rach n bach]

Not bad at all.  You do need to get a better piano though... sounds like mine: too bright.  Not a fault of yours though.  The only thing I would do differently would be to play the middle section with all the chords maybe just a tad faster.  Very enjoyable as is though.  Nice job!

RnB

[zheer]

  You really understand this prelude, thanks for posting.

[pianowolfi]

This is very interesting. A very thoughtful interpretation. I often am not sure how this "Tempo primo" in the chord section should be realised, you solve this problem with a not too slow beginning and keep the speed relatively slowly. Most pianists play the chord section faster. And I always fight against the temptation to get faster too I have not yet found the ideal solution. Anyway thank you for bumping this up, it's worth it!

[rachfan]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks everyone for your kind comments!  It's odd, because the Bm Prelude had never been a favorite of mine, but the more I practiced it, the more I liked it.  It really grew on me!   Also, thanks for just listening.  Some people rush to hear Op. 3 in C#m and the Gm in Op. 23, but don't know what they're missing by not pausing to hear the other preludes.

Pianowolfi: For the Tempo I, I definitely avoided a marked departure from the opening tempo.  While some pianists might justify some increase in tempo to add excitement in that section, my intent was to play it more grandioso or maestoso, which seemed most natural to me.  It works pretty well that way.  I don't think Rachmaninoff recorded this prelude, so no real cue on that question.

rach n bach: The piano, haha!  Actually it's a Baldwin Model L Artist Grand.  Here's the quick story.  When I bought it new in 1984, Baldwin had changed the tone considerably, since Yamaha had just introduced its S4, also 6'3".  The decisions made were not for artisitic, but rather marketing concerns.  As I write this, the piano is undergoing rebuilding.  The overly bright Renner hammers are being replaced with Ronsen Wurzen hammers (with new shanks and flanges); the SynchoTone strings will be replaced with Arledge bass strings; and the the tenor and treble will be Mapes IG wire.  This will undo the dumb decisions and restore the signature Baldwin sound consistent with the true design of the piano.  I can't wait for this project to be completed!!

infectedmushroom:  I'm glad you liked it!  There are better performances out there (I'm just an amateur), but despite a few fluffs, I think I was at least able to put it over to the listeners OK.

Hi zheer: Thanks for the compliment.  I love playing Rachmaninoff.  In fact, I have to be self disciplined enough not to devote all of the little practice time I have to him!   

If it's ok with everyone, I'll bring back a couple of the others from Op. 32, as that set is less known to many than Op. 23.

Thanks for listening and giving feedback!!

David

 

 

[tds]

this is a fine performance. thanks for posting.

here is my constructive criticism if its worth anything:

the middle section with big chords needs to flow more freely and SING more. the section after that, which i call it the russian impressionist's section, should show more rhythmic security. else, i quite enjoyed it. best, teguh

[rachfan]

Hi tds,

Thanks for all your comments.   On making the chordal section sing more, and I agree, I think some of it is due to the fact that the tone decay on a Baldwin is a bit faster than on a Steinway, as the former is a slightly more percussive piano by nature.   Right now the piano is being rebuilt with the finest materials, and I believe that the sound will be vastly improved when the work is completed.   I also find that some pianos are better than others in certain kinds of music.  Baldwin is fabulous and sparkles in Impressionistic music, and is a great sound for some Romantics, especially Chopin, Liszt, and Mendelssohn--but not so good for Brahms and Schumann.  For the latter two, particularly when they call for "thumpy music", Steinway is the better choice in my opinion.  With Rachmaninoff, it is a split proposition.  Baldwin is great for many of the Op. 32 preludes, but No. 10 really comes off better on a Steinway.     

For the pianist, the chordal section is very busy with constant leaps between melody and harmonic elements.  While it's easy to accent the melodic octaves and chords and catch them in the pedal before moving on to the harmonic figuration, there is no time to treat them with tenuto touch, as they occur within the time span of an eighth note, then it's time to move on.   It does present a challenge!

On the "Russian Impressionistic" section, at  the L'istesso tempo, I hear you on the rhythm, ha-ha!   There again, there are some technical challenges presented there, not the least of which are the sextuplet double notes in both hands.  I think some pianists end up simplifying those figures to make them more manageable, but I was determined not to do that and executed them as written.  What did help me to make the rhythms somewhat better was to subdivide the counting into 16ths  (in 4/4).  I'm sure I could have perfected that had I spent more time on this piece.  If I ever go back to it though, I'll defintely work on it some more. 

Again, thanks for your nice compliment!   

David

[tds]

rachfan, your playing has already showed a working intelligence and musical responsibility. i am sure with a bit of reworking specially in the middle section ( incl. the "russian impressionistic" part ), everything would be even more wonderful.

yes, i guess piano can play an important role on the final result. nonetheless, i still would like to suggest to you that you sing the tune alone in your head many times, till it becomes natural. this process is necessary. also, to plan intelligently how to shape the long melody ( for singer, this be to include the breathing issue ) can be of great help.

i've posted an excerpt of my performance of this piece, and other pieces, in the audition room. and like wise, feel free to comment.

best regards,

teguh

[rachfan]

Hi teguh,

Thanks again.  I totally agree with you about singing the melody in my head.  I've accompanied a number of singers, and learned phrasing and breathing that way--it is invaluable training.  I'll see if I can find your rendition of this prelude and listen to it.  I greatly appreciate your helpfulness.

Update: Found you recordings, teguh.  The sound quality is problematic at times, but your playing shines through.  Excellent!  I particularly liked your "Russian Impressionist" portion of this Bm Prelude.  Like "a picture is worth a thousand words", your tone picture there illustrates your point well on singing the melody in your head.  Thanks for sharing that.

David

[tds]

you are most welcome, rachfan. and thank you for your kind words. teguh