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Topic: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto  (Read 5532 times)

Offline pianomx

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Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
on: February 27, 2009, 11:18:25 AM
Hi guys, so, I played this last week at school with my profesor, Is not technically perfect but I quite enjoyed it so I just wanted to share. Comments are as always welcome :)
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Offline rachfan

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #1 on: February 28, 2009, 03:40:19 AM
Hi pianomx

I think you did a really good job in playing this first movement from the 2nd concerto.  You captured the spirit of the music well and displayed a completely adequate technique in executing it.  You achieved a high level of musicality throughout.  It's not an easy piece to play.  (I know, as I've read through the score a few times at home.) Congratulations!  Your professor did a fine job with the orchestral part too.

While I've heard the two-piano reduction of the 3rd concerto several times, this is the first time I've ever heard the 2nd in this format.  Thanks for sharing it. 
Interpreting music means exploring the promise of the potential of possibilities.

Offline perfect_pitch

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #2 on: February 28, 2009, 10:57:55 AM
Wait...

You have a recording of Rachmaninoffs 3rd with 2 pianos????

WHERE??? WHERE THE HELL... WHERE???

Offline rachfan

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #3 on: February 28, 2009, 03:11:54 PM
Hi perfect,

Here is one on YouTube right now: 



In the past I've seen others.
Interpreting music means exploring the promise of the potential of possibilities.

Offline gerry

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #4 on: February 28, 2009, 08:53:12 PM
Thanks for the link rachfan. Such an incredible sound out of two (Yamaha?) uprights in a somewhat less than optimal performance venue (and such a tepid response from the 35 or so attendees!). It was very revealing to hear the orchestral/piano interplay. I was surprised at how well it works without a full orchestra. This work is such a magnificent addition to the piano literature.
Durch alle Töne tönet
Im bunten Erdentraum
Ein leiser Ton gezogen
Für den, der heimlich lauschet.

Offline gerry

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #5 on: February 28, 2009, 09:11:17 PM
Sorry pinaomx, I didn't mean to steer your audition thread off course with my previous post. Your performance is extremely professional. You really display a deep understanding of the Rach 2 and your technical ability is certainly up to the challenge. I look forward to hearing 2nd & 3rd movements in the future.
Durch alle Töne tönet
Im bunten Erdentraum
Ein leiser Ton gezogen
Für den, der heimlich lauschet.

Offline rachfan

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #6 on: February 28, 2009, 09:34:43 PM
Hi gerry,

On YouTube I believe there is one or more duo-piano performances of the 1st Concerto too.

pianomx:  Super job!  I'm quite impressed with your artistry.  Should you do the other movements, I'll be sure to listen.
Interpreting music means exploring the promise of the potential of possibilities.

Offline aslanov

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #7 on: March 01, 2009, 08:07:04 AM
Very well done sir, if i have one tiff, its that the opening needs some work. its probably the easiest part notewise, but with that said its fairly difficult, for the amount of notes or movement really in the part, to develop musically and clearly

Offline pianomx

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #8 on: March 01, 2009, 01:28:05 PM
Thanks everybody for the nice response. I didn't get such a good response with my previous post, but I guess everybody just loves Rachs 2nd.
the opening needs some work. its probably the easiest part notewise, but with that said its fairly difficult, for the amount of notes or movement really in the part, to develop musically and clearly
You're probably right, it is actually the place where I had more problem picking the tempo because too slow is dangerous, too fast makes you loose the effect of long crescendo... then also the balance is difficult to obtain, 'cause I actually have pretty "small hands" so I could barely grab the chords, but I think they turned out ok in this sense.  8)

Offline aslanov

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #9 on: March 02, 2009, 01:30:53 AM
Thanks everybody for the nice response. I didn't get such a good response with my previous post, but I guess everybody just loves Rachs 2nd. You're probably right, it is actually the place where I had more problem picking the tempo because too slow is dangerous, too fast makes you loose the effect of long crescendo... then also the balance is difficult to obtain, 'cause I actually have pretty "small hands" so I could barely grab the chords, but I think they turned out ok in this sense.  8)

have u heard stephen hough's opening? its quite different (fast) but seems very appropriate for the fast silent fingering to follow. it starts off by giving the impression of a fast beginning, instead of a ridiculously huge contrast of slow metronomic opening then blisteringly fast (in comparison) notes to follow.
if ur hands arent big enough, the hough tempo may not be a good option because breaking up the chords at that speed would, i imagine, not have the intended sound and feeling. the way he does it actually makes sense once u really listen. the lowest F, followedy by the left hand low f broken from the rest of chord and played as a whole with the right hand, no fancy stuff. and at that tempo it sounds great. you might want to give it a try.
so just work on ur clarity and crescendo. when i tried out the opening i thought, i'll start of really quite and crescendo. but then i realized, its probably better to start of piano, instead of the pianissimo i tried, then just work ur way up little by little to a forte, or preferabbly a ff when u reach the G#, F, G octaves, if not by the last chord of the opening line.

Offline justliam

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #10 on: March 02, 2009, 01:17:25 PM
Hi, thanks, I really enjoyed.

I'm not going to give a critique because the piece is way beyond me lol, and I'm sure you know where you went wrong and what needs improving.

Thanks for sharing  :)
\\\\\\\"That\\\\\\\'s not a gadget Michael, that\\\\\\\'s just monstrous use of a Biro.\\\\\\\"

Offline fww

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #11 on: June 15, 2009, 10:28:23 PM
thanks for sharing. 

it's nice to be able to hear the soloist without the orchestra drowning it out.   ;D

as far as the performance, i enjoyed it.

technically imperfect?  wanna hear something funny?

wasn't more than twenty years ago i heard Phillippe Entremonte play this with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (live of course, Sir Georg Solti conducting IIRC). 

yours was much better.  lol.

the hardest thing about this work for me is preserving the legato (lh and rh) in the arpeggii and fingering with my big clumsy hands.

Offline communist

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #12 on: June 15, 2009, 11:34:18 PM
thanks for sharing. 

it's nice to be able to hear the soloist without the orchestra drowning it out.   ;D

as far as the performance, i enjoyed it.

technically imperfect?  wanna hear something funny?

wasn't more than twenty years ago i heard Phillippe Entremonte play this with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (live of course, Sir Georg Solti conducting IIRC). 

yours was much better.  lol.

the hardest thing about this work for me is preserving the legato (lh and rh) in the arpeggii and fingering with my big clumsy hands.


I thought it was hard to find a balance of pedaling in when you are playing the accompaniment after the intro, with to little it sounds weird and disconnected and with to much it sounds sloppy. The legato is also hard.
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Offline mike_lang

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #13 on: June 16, 2009, 03:35:46 AM
.

Offline kaii

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #14 on: June 16, 2009, 11:13:38 AM
:D that's the first time I've heard it as a solo piano without the orchestra, and it was amazing...

Offline jawela1103

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #15 on: August 26, 2009, 10:06:12 PM
Hello,

I am Jawela1103 and I am learning Rachmaninoff's Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, first movement, on my own and I am concerned mostly about the fingering  I would rather have a coach for a piece of this magnitude, but caring for a parent with Alzheimer's I can't afford one nor do I have the time to be away from my Mom.   I would like to talk to some one about suggestive fingerings and to compare them with mine.

Thank you

Jawela103

Alternative e-mail is jmlan764@gmail.com

Offline pianomx

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #16 on: September 13, 2009, 12:47:15 PM
Hey guys, thanks for the posts. Sorry I didn't log in for a while.

Hi Jawela, I actually learned this piece almost by myself. By the point I performed it on the recording you are listening to I had only one lesson and it was more like a run-through with my professor. It's actually a very difficult piece, and maybe there's not much I can do through this forum. But I'm sure I can give you some tips and of course fingering is very important. You can drop me a line here, I'll be checking the thread more often. It's easier if you tell me which measures are problematic for you and we can discuss, I'm sure they were or still are problematic for me.

In fact, the introduction would best not be pedaled - the orchestra can do the job...

Actually I don't think this is a very good idea. See, the orchestra is actually very loud while playing the theme. With 2nd piano and a small room sounds blurry, but in a big hall and a full orchestra without pedal you would be completely covered.

Anyhow guys, I just started practicing it again and this time is much easier. I don't really see the problem in playing the legato on the arpeggii, or do they really sound that crappy? 3rd movement is really hard though! Just to get it up to the speed is quite demanding.

I'm hoping to perform it with orchestra soon, I'll keep you posted on that.

Offline pianist7

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #17 on: September 29, 2009, 11:37:43 PM
This was great! In my opinion, the opening chords maybe should have been a little faster, or at least more tense. When you go off from the first theme and slide up the piano, try to show some more contrast between the dramatic beginning. Also, when you hit the triplet chords later in the piece (sorry for the bad description), you might want to play them with more force and staccato.

Offline mike_lang

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #18 on: October 03, 2009, 03:36:29 AM
.

Offline bellywelly

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #19 on: October 05, 2009, 07:10:41 AM
wow, the concerto's magnificent :) i must try it sometime when im free!
thanks for the recording, it was nice.

Offline point of grace

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #20 on: February 10, 2010, 01:10:01 AM
what i liked the most about the "theme A" were your basses... this is how it's suppossed to be played!!! i love when pianists make a noticeable accent on the C and G basses.
The "theme B" was really nice, i listened till the recapitulation... i will finish it because i think you did a really good job! but still i didn´t like how you started the piece... maybe because you were nervous...!!
love,
Yanina
Learning:

Chopin Polonaise Op. 53
Brahms Op. 79 No. 2
Rachmaninoff Op. 16 No. 4 and 5

Offline teodor

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #21 on: February 10, 2010, 09:30:45 AM

I can imagine how satisfying it must have felt to have played this with your professor. I'd feel like I went to heaven and back if I could do this... :)

Offline riskarb

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Re: Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto
Reply #22 on: November 28, 2010, 02:54:40 PM

I'm hoping to perform it with orchestra soon, I'll keep you posted on that.

Love the performance and best wishes on your orchestral debut!!

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