[VIDEO] Rachmaninoff 2nd Sonata mov 1

[jlh]

Hey what do you think?  I recorded it earlier today in a practice room.  I'm playing this in a competition November 3rd.  Sorry for the poor sound quality -- it's a digital camera and the mic is small. 

Comments/suggestions?

Thanks!  Josh

 

[rachfan]

Hi Josh,

I didn't have the score in front of me while listening, but it sounds as though you're using the 1931 revised version of the sonata.  Yes?  I think the original 1913 has a richer sound to it, but Rachmaninoff in the end preferred this later revision, although he allowed Horowitz to mix certain sections from both.   

I only had time to listen once tonight, but believe you're on the right track with this piece.  You've done some really fine work on it so far.  By the way, I envy how you younger pianists can memorize so effortlessly--I surely miss those days!  Anyway, you have the patterns of articulation quite well in hand it seems with good control, including dynamic levels.  My sense is that you're still exploring the interpretive possibilities and experimenting with options.  So making tentative decisions for now is probably the best path until you further refine your ideas. 

This sonata is a very difficult piece to play.  (All of your prior work with etudes plus the Rach Second Concerto will pay dividends now.)  I'm sure that you've had to practice certain technical passages intensely to conquer them.  Probably the next step is to concentrate on better melding the phrases and sections in order to play the "long line", which is critical in this work, given its length and many changing moods.  I can tell from your playing that this is exactly where you're going next.

Congratulations on being able to climb this pinnacle of the repertoire!!

Speaking of difficulty, I've been working lately on Scriabin's Etude Op. 42, No. 6 in D flat.  What a killer!!!  I don't know yet whether I'll be able to present it here or not. 

Keep up the good work.