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Topic: Rachmaninoff Op 39 #6 - Which recording?!  (Read 3052 times)

Offline nanabush

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Rachmaninoff Op 39 #6 - Which recording?!
on: January 30, 2009, 03:48:55 AM
I've heard Rachmaninoff's, Lisitsa's, Richter's, Ashkenazy's, and some crazy 12 year old girl on youtube who butchers this etude.  Each have such drastic stylistic differences.  The notes are down and I'm generally getting my own style for the piece, but each time I heard a different recording, it makes me second guess the way I'm playing it.

I'm mostly talking about:

The introduction (chromatics in early measures).  Some play them at a crawl, and some blast through them.

The 'B' section, right after the recall of the chromatic, it goes into the low pounding chords.  Again, some play super slow, some play 'slightly slower' as written on the score.

Some people throw in extra dynamics and TONS of pedal on the fourth page, and some keep it staccato.

----
My personal favorite is Ashkenazy, mostly because his middle section sounds the most demonic.  Anyone know of any other recordings that are good for this piece?  I want lots of ideas when I polish this, and I want to know of other interpretations.

Interested in discussing:

-Prokofiev Toccata
-Scriabin Sonata 2
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Offline thracozaag

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Re: Rachmaninoff Op 39 #6 - Which recording?!
Reply #1 on: January 30, 2009, 04:07:25 AM
My favourites have always been Ogdon, Sofronitsky, and of course, Rachmaninoff himself.
"We have to reach a certain level before we realize how small we are."--Georges Cziffra

Offline general disarray

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Re: Rachmaninoff Op 39 #6 - Which recording?!
Reply #2 on: January 30, 2009, 09:09:09 PM
chords.  Again, some play super slow, some play 'slightly slower' as written on the score.

Anyone know of any other recordings that are good for this piece?  I want lots of ideas when I polish this, and I want to know of other interpretations.



My question is why don't you simply arrive at YOUR OWN interpretation?  Rachmaninov gives you clear enough directions and hints in his score.  Why isn't that enough for you?

There is no single definitive performance of this piece, no matter what anyone tells you.  You can be sure that Rach and all the other great pianists mentioned here varied their interpretations of this piece due to an infinite variety of variables.

Whatever interpretative choices you make today will change tomorrow.  If they don't, then your musical mind has ossified.

Relax.  Make this piece your own.  Use your brain and heart.  Why copy others?
" . . . cross the ocean in a silver plane . . . see the jungle when it's wet with rain . . . "
 

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