rachmaninoff concertos

[ahinton]

Thank God, or it really would be the end of the world as we know it. 

I am as unsure of what you mean here as I am of the direct relevance of anyone's idea of "the world as we know it" to a situation in which at least someone here seems to be on another planet altogether but, by virtue nevertheless of his avowed intent to give a performance in one of the most oxygen-starved places on this one, seems not to be especially concerned to be able to breathe its air (Schönberg Op. 10 in F# minor in case anyone doesn't get the reference here)...

Best,

Alistair

[chopin2015]

Hoffman recorded all rach concertos

Also:

[/youtube]

[thalbergmad]

Thank God, or it really would be the end of the world as we know it.   

It sometimes happens. We both like Bloch and Bowen.

Thal

[ahinton]

It sometimes happens. We both like Bloch and Bowen.

But do we both like Rachmaninov? One of us certainly does! - and that one is sadly old enough to remember the days when only a very few of his works were regularly performed and when his reputation accordingly rested upon an unrepresentatively small proportion of his output as a whole, whereas his songs, stage works and orchestral and chamber music have since become as widely known as his concertos and solo piano pieces.

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

and that one is sadly old enough to remember the days when only a very few of his works were regularly performed

I have heard that with age comes wisdom.

Thal

[ahinton]

I have heard that with age comes wisdom.

Whilst you cannot believe all that you hear, you may well find it nevertheless to be the case for yourself when you wake up last week.

Best,

Alistair

[davidjosepha]

Come on now, you know she does a pretty kickass job.

Lame. Heartless. She stretches out parts that need to be fast, and rushes through parts that need to be stretched out.

All the other first cadenzas suck.

With the exception of maybe Rachmaninoff himself.

Let me see you post something better.

Listen to Krystian Zimerman's recording. Absolutely phenomenal.

Earl Wild recorded a stunning 3rd.

Thal

The only version of Rach's third I can stomach

[chopin2015]

Oh my....i really like and admire how much control zim zim has. Always. Richter is the opposite, he just lets it rip and doesnt give a dang what anyone thinks because music is beautiful but should also scare you and he lives that about it.

[ahinton]

https://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/mar/13/rachmaninov-concertos-valentina-lisitsa-review

I'm afraid I cannot but concur...

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

She "played" a couple of Rach Preludes on Radio 3 yesterday and it was horrific. Almost too much to listen to.

Thal

[ahinton]

She "played" a couple of Rach Preludes on Radio 3 yesterday and it was horrific. Almost too much to listen to.

I didn't hear them; fortuitously, it might seem. She seems quite remarkably ill-suited to Rachmaninov yet one can only assume that she's unaware of this fact. Again, I simply cannot figure out what all the fuss is supposed to be about.

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

I didn't hear them; fortuitously, it might seem.

However horrific the sound she produced, it was nowhere near as bad as Szymanowski's Second String Quartet that is polluting Radio 3 as I type.

Thal

[ahinton]

However horrific the sound she produced, it was nowhere near as bad as Szymanowski's Second String Quartet that is polluting Radio 3 as I type.

Oh dear! Missed that too - just as well, by the sound of it! Which ensemble was evidently ruining that lovely work?

Best,

Alistair

[chopin2015]

I didn't hear them; fortuitously, it might seem. She seems quite remarkably ill-suited to Rachmaninov yet one can only assume that she's unaware of this fact. Again, I simply cannot figure out what all the fuss is supposed to be about.

Best,

Alistair

Omg exactly. She is too young! She still has soo much work to do.

[thalbergmad]

Which ensemble was evidently ruining that lovely work?

The best ensemble in the World could play it, or a group of rampant chimps.

There would be precious little difference in the sound.

Thal

[ahinton]

Omg exactly. She is too young! She still has soo much work to do.

She's in her 40s already, so she's not that young!

Best,

Alistair

[ahinton]

The best ensemble in the World could play it, or a group of rampant chimps.

I cannot quite imagine how a group of chimps, rampant or otherwise, could read music and develop sufficient skills at violin, viola and cello playing to do this, but my question was which ensemble was actually playing on this occasion.

There would be precious little difference in the sound.

How so?

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

She's in her 40s already, so she's not that young!

Compared to you she is.

Thal

[ahinton]

Compared to you she is.

Member chopin2015 was referring to his/her view that Lisitsa's age suggests that she's not yet mature enough to play Rachmaninov concertos; since I am not even a pianist (let alone one who plays the Rachmaninov concertos), my age, whatever that may or may not be, is entirely irrelevant to what's being discussed here about Lisitsa.

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

Member chopin2015

You sound like the Borg sometimes.

Thal

[chopin2015]

Sometimes when you guys talk to each other you sound like the same person! 

[ajspiano]

She is too young! She still has soo much work to do.

God knows where that leaves me..  no doubt any rendition of rachmaninoff I manage to produce will be down right abhorrent.

I like her Rach 3 anyway. People get stuck in there heads what they expect to hear..  they also seem to have an innate desire to tear shreds of anyone who achieves some level of public success.

Really, if someone here posted identical performance to her solo videos in the audition room it would be VERY well received.. or in the event that someone offered musical advice, it would be done very politely.. the word "horrific" would not be used.

[chopin2015]

God knows where that leaves me..  no doubt any rendition of rachmaninoff I manage to produce will be down right abhorrent.

I like her Rach 3 anyway. People get stuck in there heads what they expect to hear..  they also seem to have an innate desire to tear shreds of anyone who achieves some level of public success.

Really, if someone here posted identical performance to her solo videos in the audition room it would be VERY well received.. or in the event that someone offered musical advice, it would be done very politely.. the word "horrific" would not be used.

Its just her musical ideas dont speak like they do on vinyl. Does she have a record on vinyl? I dunno. 

I find her rach 3 to be good, but i like her solo version better. I guess.

Shes a fine musician, either way.

You will do fine. Id like to hear a manlier version of rach 3, please, ajspiano. Thats all. Teehee

[ajspiano]

Its just her musical ideas dont speak like they do on vinyl. Does she have a record on vinyl? I dunno. 

That's not a problem that's unique to her.

You will do fine. Id like to hear a manlier version of rach 3, please, ajspiano. Thats all. Teehee

if I remember rightly something I read, they used to think its was a "men's concerto" that was too physically demanding for a woman..   

[chopin2015]

That's not a problem that's unique to her.


if I remember rightly something I read, they used to think its was a "men's concerto" that was too physically demanding for a woman..   

I just dont think her music is such a novelty. Compare the 1940s when only a certain type of people got to go to concerts. Now anything gets by! Well...not everything. 
I just think some people expect magic to happen at a live performance, which is set up so it's impossible. She planned everything out and she possibly feels that the stage is not the place to experiment and improvise. Plays everything the same.
 I'm sure you can give it that manly quality(being a dude) and rough things up more. Imagine if a tiger was laying on the piano. Haha
 

[ajspiano]

I just dont think her music is such a novelty. Compare the 1940s when only a certain type of people got to go to concerts. Now anything gets by! Well...not everything. 

Different time. I read that when Metallica recorded S & M a large percentage of the audience left almost immediately, either because they couldnt stomach Metallica when they were expecting classical music, or because the actual Metallica fans freaked them out.

She planned everything out and she possibly feels that the stage is not the place to experiment and improvise

I doubt she's been around long enough (as a known performer) to get away with taking too many risks whether on stage or in a recording.

[chopin2015]

Different time. I read that when Metallica recorded S & M a large percentage of the audience left almost immediately, either because they couldnt stomach Metallica when they were expecting classical music, or because the actual Metallica fans freaked them out.
I doubt she's been around long enough (as a known performer) to get away with taking too many risks whether on stage or in a recording.

Exactly, she hasnt been around as long. Who cares how old she is. I want to be able to and have the opportunities to perform when I 'm 100. Hope she feels the same way. She needs to play that Rach on a Bechstein, duh!
The music is beautiful. I get that shes not an old man who lived through world war ii, but when she gets older and senses death or whatever, im sure her playing will get more bitter. I think she can play sweetly, though. And her rage is actually almost convincing. Cant wait to hear her play something that uses all of these. And more risks! More freedom. Its scary thinking about if stress is the problem here. Could you imagine?! Give the girl some time to experiment! Let the woman breathe.

..

[ahinton]

if I remember rightly something I read, they used to think its was a "men's concerto" that was too physically demanding for a woman..   

So much for "they". Presumably, then, Martha Argerich is not a woman. That's news to me.

Best,

Alistair

[chopin2015]

So much for "they". Presumably, then, Martha Argerich is not a woman. That's news to me.

Best,

Alistair

Oh i like her Beethoven recordings...she plays so lightly though

[ahinton]

Oh i like her Beethoven recordings...she plays so lightly though

OK, but I referred to he here because of her recording of Rachmaninov's Third Concerto!

Best,

Alistair

[chopin2015]

OK, but I referred to he here because of her recording of Rachmaninov's Third Concerto!

Best,

Alistair

You know, I hate her prokofiev(although I respect her style and speed), and i hate her ondine(she didnt bring out this beautiful sad melody that I heard someone unknown play with such soul, its only like 10 seconds of the whole thing, but it's what is missing!) 
 But i have not listened to her Rach 3. Although I am sure it is good, because she actually does have good musical ideas, otherwise!

Can you post a link?

[ahinton]

You know, I hate her prokofiev(although I respect her style and speed), and i hate her ondine(she didnt bring out this beautiful sad melody that I heard someone unknown play with such soul, its only like 10 seconds of the whole thing, but it's what is missing!) 
 But i have not listened to her Rach 3. Although I am sure it is good, because she actually does have good musical ideas, otherwise!

Can you post a link?

Terrible reproduction, for which I humbly apologise and hope that you'll not be unduly discouraged by it - but here it is, at

.

Best,

Alistair

[chopin2015]

Terrible reproduction, for which I humbly apologise and hope that you'll not be unduly discouraged by it - but here it is, at

.

Best,

Alistair

Wow! That was pretty nice. That guy conducts with his hair, too. Did you see that?! Lol
 She looks at the conductor a lot. I think thats why there is so much more connection with the music. That was awesome.

[rangerx]

found this yesterday maybe some might like it

Rachmaninoff  themes

[ming304]

Just wondering, has anyone heard Ashkenazy's rach concertos?
If so what do you think of those?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

This is by far my favorite rendition of the Rach 2.