If you ask people with a little to an average interest in classical music about their favorite composer(s) most of the time they come up with people like Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and some might mention Chopin, Schubert or Brahms. Of course there is nothing wrong with these composers. I consider Bach myself as one of the greatest composers of all times and there are also compositions from the composers I just mentioned that certainly would be in my personal top 100 of favorite classical compositions. But it's a pity if you only would stick to this list of composers. There are so much more good, interesting composers who wrote beautiful, gorgeous, touching music.
I have a few favorite composers. One of them is Gustav Mahler, but in this post I want to write a little bit about one of my other favorite composers, Sergei Rachmaninoff. For more information about his life you can check the wikipedia-URL. Although his name is often spelled as Rachmaninov I use the spelling that he used himself living in the West after leaving Russia short after the 1917 Russian Revolution.
The first time I got in touch with Rachmaninoff's music was around the age of 11 or 12 when I heard a recording of his second Piano Concerto. This recording was part of a box from my parents with 15 records with all kinds of classical music, mainly concertos for piano, violin, cello and some windinstruments. I can't remember which orchestra it was, but I remember the name of the pianoplayer, Werner Haas. I'm not sure but it could be that this was the same recording as the one I listened to on the original record. I was impressed very much by this music. It was powerful but also very melodic at the same time. I've listened to this record many, many times. Because I couldn't afford to buy records too often I joined the recordlibrary and borrowed records every month and when I liked them I taped them on an audiocassette. This way I got in touch with lots of different music (not only classical music). Through the library I also got in touch with other music from Rachmaninoff.
The first version you hear of a classical musicpiece you often find the best, but when it comes to classical music you should keep an open mind to other versions and different interpretations of the same musicpiece. About 7 or 8 years later when I bought my first CD-player one of my first classical music-CD's I bought was a double-CD with the four piano concertos from Rachmaninoff played by the Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Bernard Haitink and Vlademir Ashkenazy on the piano. Although there are a few more outstanding recordings this recording is my personal favorite. As far as I know there are no other performing artists that have recorded all four piano concertos of Rachmaninoff. And Ashkenazy did an excellent job, proving that he is a great interpreter, and in my humble opinion one of the greatest, of the complex and demanding piano concertos of Rachmaninoff. The first and fourth piano concerto are good, but of course the second and third are the most famous piano concertos. The third piano concerto plays an important role in the movie Shine about the life of the Australian pianoplayer David Helfgott. The second and third concerto are considered as the top in the romantic piano repertoire and the third is also considered as one of the most difficult pianoconcertos ever.
Well enough writing about Rachmaninoff. Let's go to some of his music. I have embedded some material that I found on YouTube. First it starts with the prelude in C-sharp minor played by Rachmaninoff himself. It has everything that a good piano piece in my opinion requires: strong melody, drama, technical demanding for the pianoplayer.
The second, third and fourth videos are the first, second and third movement from the third Piano Concerto played by Vladimir Horowitz. I looked if I could find one played by Vladimir Ashkenazy, but unfortunately I couldn't find. Although considered as one of the greatest piano players this is not one of Horowitz' best performances at older age, but still more than worthwhile listening and looking to. I wish I had just 1% of the man's pianoskills.
The fifth video is "Daisies, Opus 38, No. 3", originally written for piano and voice, but here played by the great violin player Jascha Heifetz.
And finally "Vocalise" a gorgeously beautiful melody sung by Renee Fleming, but there are also other transcriptions of this piece played by different kinds of instruments. I also know a beautiful version on violin played by Itzhak Perlman.
There is much more beautiful music to be found on YouTube and elsewhere. Start some search yourself and allow yourself to be surprised during these musical wanderings on the internet. These unplanned searches might lead you to some new musical discoveries.
I have a few favorite composers. One of them is Gustav Mahler, but in this post I want to write a little bit about one of my other favorite composers, Sergei Rachmaninoff. For more information about his life you can check the wikipedia-URL. Although his name is often spelled as Rachmaninov I use the spelling that he used himself living in the West after leaving Russia short after the 1917 Russian Revolution.
The first time I got in touch with Rachmaninoff's music was around the age of 11 or 12 when I heard a recording of his second Piano Concerto. This recording was part of a box from my parents with 15 records with all kinds of classical music, mainly concertos for piano, violin, cello and some windinstruments. I can't remember which orchestra it was, but I remember the name of the pianoplayer, Werner Haas. I'm not sure but it could be that this was the same recording as the one I listened to on the original record. I was impressed very much by this music. It was powerful but also very melodic at the same time. I've listened to this record many, many times. Because I couldn't afford to buy records too often I joined the recordlibrary and borrowed records every month and when I liked them I taped them on an audiocassette. This way I got in touch with lots of different music (not only classical music). Through the library I also got in touch with other music from Rachmaninoff.
The first version you hear of a classical musicpiece you often find the best, but when it comes to classical music you should keep an open mind to other versions and different interpretations of the same musicpiece. About 7 or 8 years later when I bought my first CD-player one of my first classical music-CD's I bought was a double-CD with the four piano concertos from Rachmaninoff played by the Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Bernard Haitink and Vlademir Ashkenazy on the piano. Although there are a few more outstanding recordings this recording is my personal favorite. As far as I know there are no other performing artists that have recorded all four piano concertos of Rachmaninoff. And Ashkenazy did an excellent job, proving that he is a great interpreter, and in my humble opinion one of the greatest, of the complex and demanding piano concertos of Rachmaninoff. The first and fourth piano concerto are good, but of course the second and third are the most famous piano concertos. The third piano concerto plays an important role in the movie Shine about the life of the Australian pianoplayer David Helfgott. The second and third concerto are considered as the top in the romantic piano repertoire and the third is also considered as one of the most difficult pianoconcertos ever.
Well enough writing about Rachmaninoff. Let's go to some of his music. I have embedded some material that I found on YouTube. First it starts with the prelude in C-sharp minor played by Rachmaninoff himself. It has everything that a good piano piece in my opinion requires: strong melody, drama, technical demanding for the pianoplayer.
The second, third and fourth videos are the first, second and third movement from the third Piano Concerto played by Vladimir Horowitz. I looked if I could find one played by Vladimir Ashkenazy, but unfortunately I couldn't find. Although considered as one of the greatest piano players this is not one of Horowitz' best performances at older age, but still more than worthwhile listening and looking to. I wish I had just 1% of the man's pianoskills.
The fifth video is "Daisies, Opus 38, No. 3", originally written for piano and voice, but here played by the great violin player Jascha Heifetz.
And finally "Vocalise" a gorgeously beautiful melody sung by Renee Fleming, but there are also other transcriptions of this piece played by different kinds of instruments. I also know a beautiful version on violin played by Itzhak Perlman.
There is much more beautiful music to be found on YouTube and elsewhere. Start some search yourself and allow yourself to be surprised during these musical wanderings on the internet. These unplanned searches might lead you to some new musical discoveries.
Rachmaninov
1 comment:
have you heard the new recording of rachmaninoff's 5th piano concerto? it is a version of the 2nd symphony for piano and orchestra.personally i am thrilled as i own numerous recordings of all the concertos. john
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