Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor (3rd Mvt) - Enzo

[emill]

We beg your indulgence for posting again so soon, but recital time is so near .... Dec 6 at the University of the Philippines and January 12, with the Manila Symphony Orchestra. ... it is becoming NERVE-WRACKING for the parents!!!  I think ENZO is "lucky" here to have a good collaborating pianist - Jordan Petalver of the University fo the Philippines. Sorry for the edit at 11:20 in order to remove teacher comment.

For the pianist it is always good to hear comments and observations to improve further.
THANKS!!!!

about the recording:  This was recorded using 4 channels of the Zoom 4HN recorder ...  2 shure omni directional condenser mics one for each piano about a foot away from fully open lids with the Zoom device about 3 meters mid-way between the 2 pianos on rear side. The good amounts of reverb and resonance of the church/chapel played well into creating the impression of spaciousness. Hope you like it!!!

  

[perfect_pitch]

Greetings Emill...

First of all... these are only opinions on the piece as the Concerto is something I've never played, but always wanted to... (I'm doing Brahms No. 1 instead.) I've seen it performed a number of times, and the amount of recordings I've heard of this piece while studying the music is insurmountable. I certainly won't critique him on his technique as I believe his teacher has already done an excellent job in ensuring his technique is strong, so my opinions are merely just on the interpretation.

0:25 - This little cadenza moment I feel should still maintain the beat and tempo. It sounds as if there's no metre or pulse to it. Yes I feel it is a Cadenza moment, but I feel that it would sound more cohesive if the first bar of notes were treated like two bars, and that you had to reach the top note in time without slowing down, and maintaining the minim pulse throughout. This also goes with the triplet quavers following the cadenza like sequence.

1:55 - I felt the pause between the Orchestral part and Enzo coming in was too long. To me, it doesn't sound cohesive enough. The piano part should feel like a continuation of the orchestral melody, even though it ends with a perfect cadence. Same with the mark at 6:50

10:55 - The accelerando was WAY too sudden here... He barely picked up the tempo in the previous page, and then he rockets off and it seriously just too messy, and a bit drastic. Considering the accelerando is spread out over MORE than a page, this needs to be better paced.

11:00 - I feel this cadenza like patter could be spaced out more, as it's almost concluding the piece, almost like the final join between the majority of this piece being in c minor, then emerging into a C Major tonality. I feel this one has to be freer than the first one at 0:25, and he has the luxury of playing with the tempo more. At the end of the cadenza 11:15, I felt that just seemed to abruptly finish. I'd really draw out those final notes by playing it slower and bringing us to a more conclusive but suspenseful Coda, instead of whipping through the notes.

Hope it helps. Any chance he's also doing the first movement??? I bloody well love that first movement.     

[emill]

Hello p_p !!

THanks for the specific comments .... it is always of value to hear what other pianists say. I have already provided Enzo a "printout" as he likes to discuss points raised with his teacher, although I must say he has very definite thoughts on many things about interpretation. I just wish that someday he will "open up" and communicate his thoughts in words and sentences and not just through his music.

Yes, I will try to post the 1st and 2nd movements if I can edit (remove) a good number of teacher comments without maiming the video.   If not, then I will post the whole Rach 2 after the recital on Dec. 6 or January 12 (with orchestra).

Thanks again!! 

[starstruck5]

Fascinating to hear a 2 piano version -in some ways better than an over exuberant orchestra! Although, I generally like the way he orchestrates more than most -

The playing is very very good indeed -no need for anxiety -Enzo will more than do justice to this Concerto!