BaL 29.12.18 - Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto no. 2 in C minor Op. 18

[Bryn]

I found his set in a charity shop in Leeds for 99p earlier this year. I am not a great fan of Rakhmaninov's music but couldn't resist the set at such a low price! I cannot compare it with other recordings but I suspect that, on past form, Marina F-W may ignore it in favour of elderly recordings (I'm thinking of her BAL on Tchaikovsky's Pathétique a couple of years ago).

Well, half right. She quite rightly plumped for one that observed the composer's tempi more closely than others. I am tempted.

[pastoralguy]

Oddly enough, I came across the original Gramophone review from the early 60's last night. It was pretty sniffy although no more so than the other disc in the review which was Entremont with Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Oddly enough, I came across the original Gramophone review from the early 60's last night. It was pretty sniffy although no more so than the other disc in the review which was Entremont with Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic.

Which recording are you referring to here, pasto?

[pastoralguy]

Which recording are you referring to here, pasto?

Sorry, the Joyce Hatto in message 29. I should have quoted it.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

[Barbirollians]

Sorry, the Joyce Hatto in message 29. I should have quoted it.

I have the winner and it is very good but this nonsense about choosing a winner from the last twenty years annoys me and poor old Ashkenazy did not even seem to get a mention.

Richter at one passage was referred to unbeatable except for the muddy orchestral sound - did not sound that bad to me .

The performance I wanted to buy after that was the Byron Janis.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... poor old Ashkenazy did not even seem to get a mention.

He got three; two as pianist, one as conductor.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I greatly enjoyed this BaL, MF-W's total omission of any mention of my favoured Wild/Horenstein notwithstanding. I don't feel any need to add to my collection (Rach, Wild, & Dani), and the chosen recording fell (for me) at the very last fence by the mega-schmaltz of the presentation of the final bars. Good to follow the reviewer's enthusiasm and impressive commentary, and to hear so generous a selection of excerpts.

[Mal]

A good BAL, I thought, although rather biased towards the younger players. I was pleased to see that Lugansky had a honourable mention as I already have it. And I thought she was spot on about what was right about Lugansky, and what was 'wrong'. Such beauty in the slow movement, such a headlong rush in the third movement. I thought she illustrated well how the last movement needn't be so headlong with Andsnes. And the BPO were sounding magnificent! But I thought she shouldn't have limited herself to the last twenty years. If she prefers (say) Rachmaninov & Richter to the modern boys she should say so! I'm tempted by both, they sounded really exciting in the clips. I also thought Richter's orchestral sound wasn't that bad, not as muddy as she suggested, though Rachmaninov's did sound rather thin & muddy.

[cloughie]

I greatly enjoyed this BaL. Good to follow the reviewer's enthusiasm and impressive commentary, and to hear so generous a selection of excerpts.

...and what a lovely voice and accent!

[Bryn]

...and what a lovely voice and accent!

Though she got the pronunciation (stress distribution) of Dorati's name wrong.

[Beef Oven!]

Though she got the pronunciation of Dorati's name wrong.

how is it pronounced? I have always pronounced it as if it were an Italian word.

Edit: Ah, you've edited your post to focus on stress-distribution. I've always put the stress on the A. Where should it be?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I suspect that, on past form, Marina F-W may ignore it in favour of elderly recordings (I'm thinking of her BAL on Tchaikovsky's Pathétique a couple of years ago).

A good BAL, I thought, although rather biased towards the younger players. ... But I thought she shouldn't have limited herself to the last twenty years. If she prefers (say) Rachmaninov & Richter to the modern boys she should say so!

She can't win!

[cloughie]

Though she got the pronunciation (stress distribution) of Dorati's name wrong.

Or was she right and we have been wrong all these years!

[Bryn]

how is it pronounced? I have always pronounced it as if it were an Italian word.

Stress on the first syllable. He was Hungarian by birth, after all. Actually, I seem to recall he came to accept the Americanized stress misplacement.