BaL 15.04.17 - Rachmaninov: Cello Sonata

[DracoM]

Fine work indeed, BUT for me, the review itself was wrecked by the risibly ludicrous OTT descriptions of what we hear in the examples. Am looking forward to hearing the MUSIC on Sunday a.m..

[BBMmk2]

Unfortunately MrsBBM was in one of her yakking moods,, so I switched it off. Does annoy me that. Seems to be a habit this. Who "won"?

[Bryn]

Unfortunately MrsBBM was in one of her yakking moods,, so I switched it off. Does annoy me that. Seems to be a habit this. Who "won"?

Pig's tail, as yet.

[Barbirollians]

Pig's tail, as yet.

Mork won . I have bought Isserlis/Hough on the basis of extracts heard .

[mikealdren]

Mørk and Thibaudet, the only version I have so it's saved me some money! An interesting programme, well worth catching up on if you missed it.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I joined the programme late and missed the fallers at the first few fences! Were Lloyd Webber, Tortelier(*) and Gregor-Smith pulled up for any particular reason or did they simply not make the start?

I have only the Lloyd Webber (on LP) and have just 'once-clicked' the Mork 2-CD set, despite the statement that it was download only There should still be 8 available according to the Riverpeople.

(*) I've heard the work live twice and one of them was Tortelier in 1980. I feel old!

[Pianorak]

Seduced by Mstislav Rostropowitsch.

[DracoM]

Yes. Mork and Thibaudet felt just right.
Not quarrelling with the reviewer's expertise and choices, just the way they were expressed.

[BBMmk2]

Mørk and Thibaudet, the only version I have so it's saved me some money! An interesting programme, well worth catching up on if you missed it.

Might buy this one, plus the Isserlis/Hough, methinks, as I like these particular artists.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes. Mork and Thibaudet felt just right.
Not quarrelling with the reviewer's expertise and choices, just the way they were expressed.

Totally agree on both counts - I sort-of agreed with most of her opinions and criticisms, but disliked the snarky way in which she presented them (I thought it ironic that someone who said that Maisky's opening moments presented the performer rather than the Music, should have so put her unnecessary and distracting "witticisms" at the forefront of her discussion). I have put Mork/Thibaudet on "the list" (together with Gregor-Smith/Wrigley) .

It's a lovely work - for years the only piece involving the piano by Rachmaninov that I could listen to with unmitigated pleasure. I first heard it Live at a friend's thirtieth birthday party a quarter of a century ago. She died far too young three years ago, so the Music brought back very fond/sad memories - which might account for my frictious response to Ms Wallace's jollifications. I shall make room to listen to my only recording of the work (Lloyd Webber/Seow - a very good, non-schlocky performance, also on ASV Kwiksilver ) this weekend - probably with a dram of Lagavulin.

[Pianorak]

Excerpt from John Culshaw's "Rachmaninov" (1949):

The Cello Sonata in G minor, Op 19 might have been a work of great beauty had Rachmaninov understood the instrument a little better. As it is, this is very much a work for piano and cello, one's attention being constantly distracted from the combined force by the brilliant and excellently written piano part. R. obviously mistrusted the cello; only very rarely is it allowed to say anything without the phrase being very heavily underlined by the piano, and the general impression, however contrary to the composer's intentions it may be, is that the work was conceived mainly for the piano. In fact, so considerable is this fault that were the piano part to be played alone it could, with some little alteration, be passed off as a kind of fantasy-sonata, and not a bad one at that. . .

JC's footnote: R. himself, it seems, expressed the opinion that in this work the two players are exactly equal, and disliked the work to be called a Cello Sonata. The latter point may be granted, but the score does not bear witness to the former.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Thanks for that, Pianorak - Culshaw's opinion is a load of cobblers, though.

[Pianorak]

Thanks for that, Pianorak - Culshaw's opinion is a load of cobblers, though.

Certainly in this case.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Certainly in this case.

- with his subsequent achievements, he's more than entitled to the occasional cobble.

[Beef Oven!]

Well I took my old ASV Quicksilva (ugh) CD off the shelf and had a listen.



I still love the playing - I suppose my only objective reservation would be that the recording balance favours the piano over-much, as if the piano had been between the microphone and the cellist, it sounds rather like a sonata for piano with cello. Personally, I don't mind that, being a pianophile rather than a cellophile (and one who's had a crack or two at playing parts of the sonata with cellist friends - most of it's beyond me...). It seems more the case in the earlier movements than in the slow movement, which I think is absolutely gorgeous - not affected, not wallowing, just letting the music speak for itself beautifully. I suspect it was this movement that wedded me in particular to the performance. Ditto the 'big tune' in the last movement

I'll be interested to see what others make of the performance and recording!

I'm curious that both the Rachmaninov and Chopin are in G minor - can cello players comment on whether this key is a particularly sweet one on the instrument, or is it just coincidence?

Arrived today, playing it now. The booklet doesn’t say who the producer is. I assume it’s the pianist’s mum.