Rachmaninov Prelude Op. 23 No. 5

[escort]

Hello

I know you've all heard this piece a million times and probably won't be interested in hearing it again, but I'm playing it for a small competition in early March and I wanted some opinions on it. 
 
There are some missed notes, so I apologize for that.  Also, my piano is a bit out of tune.  I hope you enjoy

Brett

[pianistimo]

that is an unfunctional piano.  the pedals don't work. 

try it on another piano, ok.

[penguinlover]

I agree with that, the pedals destroyed the sound totally. I had trouble hearing the clarity of the notes.  It would sound better on a working piano.  Sounds like you are doing a good job on the arpeggios in the mid section, and in bringing out the counter melody there.

[escort]

Thank you for your replies.

I agree, the pedalling sounds quite horrible in the recording.  I'm not sure if it's my inability or a problem with the piano, as my instructor has never mentioned it while playing on his piano (and sitting in front of the piano, I'd never noticed it, until I made the recording today).  Also, in my old house I had made a couple recordings of other pieces, and had never had a problem, but in that case the microphone was at least in the same room as the piano.

On the other hand, I've gotten the opportunity to watch several people butcher the pedalling on this song, so it could very well be my inability. 

I will look into it closely.

[lau]

the lack in clarity of notes makes it sound more furious...I like it.   

but what i don't like is when people play the theme slowly after the slow section and then gradually speed up, it makes me insane, and you did a lot of that.

Just start fast instead of starting slow at that part

[escort]

the lack in clarity of notes makes it sound more furious...I like it.   

but what i don't like is when people play the theme slowly after the slow section and then gradually speed up, it makes me insane, and you did a lot of that.

lol, Thanks for the comments.

The speeding up is actually marked that way in the version I have; I guess I've never thought to try it differently.  Thanks for the idea.

[henrah]

lol, Thanks for the comments.

The speeding up is actually marked that way in the version I have; I guess I've never thought to try it differently. Thanks for the idea.

Same here. I first heard it played fast all the way through so when I discovered an interpretation with the gradual accelleration I liked it much more.

[rachfan]

I have both the Schirmer Edition and the Boosey & Hawkes here.  The piece is A-B-A form.  As the lyrical middle section (Part B) draws to a close, it is clearly marked "dim. e rit" as it transitions into the reprise of Part A.   Both editions are consistent in marking the reprise as "poco a poco accelerando e cresc. al Tempo I".  Tempo I recurs nine measures later following Part B.  Does anyone have an early Russian edition that contradicts this?  If so, please let us know.  Otherwise, it would seem that the two editions I mention are accurate.  So why would one want to play this piece differently from what Rachmaninoff explicitly indicated in the score?  I always played No. 5 with that same slow accelerando as Brett does in his recording here to comport with the composer's wishes.

[hakki]

https://www.savefile.com/files/482900

Just to shed light on the accelerando part, here is an excerpt from a recording of Rachmaninoff himself playing this prelude (reproduced on a modern grand from rolls)
Hope this helps.

Regards,

[rachfan]

Hi hakki,

Thanks for posting that piano roll!  Unfortunately, it is not the full performance, but the portion under debate that we needed to hear is fully included.  There is no mistaking that Rachmaninoff in fact starts the reprise after Part B slowly and works his way through the accelerando, as indicated in the score markings.  So there we all have it!