What to do about Rach 2 ?

[bryfarr]

I remember when I first heard Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto #2 at age 15. I was in awe - such rapturous beauty, the intricate blend of piano of and orchestra, the heart wrenching melodies.

There's a radio station in my area that plays the Rach 2 about twice a week, maybe 3x.  That's 100 to 150 times per year.  And the major symphony orchestra in my area programs it at least once a season, every season.  A sure draw for ticket sales, I guess.

But I find it disheartening that this piece is played so much it pushes out other worthy concerti.  In fact, I've heard it so much, I can't stand hearing a single note of it.  So I advocate for programming the lesser known repertoire, especially from the 20th century, in lieu of over played standards like Rach 2 and 3.

Medtner's 3rd p.c. is a beautiful concerto of similar aesthetic to Rach 2.  And Medtner's other two piano concerti are worthy of being programmed more.  And there's Prokofiev's 3rd, another over-programmed piece.  I just listened to Schnittke's 1960 piano concerto for the 3rd time - a rich and compelling work, in the spirit of Prokofiev and Shostakovich and with the unmistakable stamp of a great composer - a worthy replacement for Prokofiev 3rd.

Curious if the members here agree or disagree.  And what neglected piano concertos would you suggest be programmed instead of the over played standards like Rach 2?

[jamienc]

Agree totally, but I had a few thoughts from reading your insightful post. First, works like Rach 2 and 3 are the dream pieces for many who study the instrument for the simple fact that they are immediately captivating upon the first hearing. Like you, I remember hearing those for the first time and setting appropriate goals to be able to at least play them, regardless of whether or not it would ever be with an orchestra. Second, orchestras and their planners are more likely to go with works that they know will draw the crowd. Unless it is a really diverse and sophisticated cultural environment, I would guess that the “business” of getting people in those seats is much more secure when there is an opportunity to hear a piece live that they have always heard through the speakers. I suppose it’s like listening to commercial radio. It’s always the same songs everyone knows and loves because the tolerance for anything exploratory or unfamiliar runs the risk of sacrificing listenership.

[lelle]

I'm happy that all the popular war-horses exist as a gateway drug for people who have the potential to get into classical music. It's fine to me that those are played often, winning over new audiences, some of which start going to more obscure concerts as their tastes evolve.