BaL 31.12.22 - Rachmaninov: 24 Preludes

[Ein Heldenleben]

Moura Lympany - wonderful pianist but why couldn’t they get her a decent piano ?
Completely agree that Giltburg and Shelley are much better than the much touted Lugansky in these. Both are wonderful cantabile pianists with huge reserves of power.

[Alison]

Just ordered Giltburg, whether he wins or not!

[Ein Heldenleben]

Just ordered Giltburg, whether he wins or not!

His playing is absolutely wonderful. I saw him once live in the Shostakovich Piano and Trumpet and I’ve never forgotten it.

[Goon525]

Well, win he has.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Well, win he has.

Thought he overpedalled the final section of the Dflat but it’s so difficult I don’t blame him. Love the way he bought out a left hand counter melody amongst all the block chords and didn’t turn the closing octave flourish into a bit of flashy virtuosity. He’s a real poet of the piano. A worthy winner.

[Alison]

Everyone happy? Thought Lucy did pretty well in the time available and no irritating chumminess with Andrew on this occasion! Hannah handled it all rather well IMHO and didn’t seem in the way.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Everyone happy? Thought Lucy did pretty well in the time available and no irritating chumminess with Andrew on this occasion! Hannah handled it all rather well IMHO and didn’t seem in the way.

Yes - good analysis.
I was really surprised at the Lugansky Bflat - the incredibly difficult one with with the left hand triplet semiquavers. I thought he played it very lumpily with horrible breaks in the playing . Shelley and Ashkenazy nail it to coin a phrase. I think I’ll have to add Giltburg to the Katin , Rachmaninov, Ashkenazy and Shelley recordings I have.

[richardfinegold]

How did Ashkenazy fare? Listening to Gilburg now on Apple, very enjoyable, I still prefer VA

[Ein Heldenleben]

How did Ashkenazy fare? Listening to Gilburg now on Apple, very enjoyable, I still prefer VA

Made it to the final cut as it were. Currently listening to Giltburg on Qobuz. Very good recorded piano sound.

[mikealdren]

Boris Giltburg is available as CD and download and well worth it too.

We still need to apply Giltburg to the list of available recordings!!!!

[Mal]

Boris Giltburg is available as CD and download and well worth it too.

Naxos, 2019. He did sound good! Certainly top of my list to listen in full.

[Mal]

How did Ashkenazy fare? Listening to Gilburg now on Apple, very enjoyable, I still prefer VA

He did well, he made the final round with the reviewer saying he and Richter "had everything" but just preferred Giltburg for his "inner voice" and making each piece sound like a "different shining jewel". There was an interesting head to head between Ashkenazy and Giltburg half way thorough, Ashkenazy playing more quickly, but Giltburg had that inner voice - so won that comparison for me and the (excellent) reviewer. (Close call though! Must listen to both in full... and Richter, and...)

[Wolfram]

Everyone happy? Thought Lucy did pretty well in the time available and no irritating chumminess with Andrew on this occasion! Hannah handled it all rather well IMHO and didn’t seem in the way.

I agree. I enjoyed this BaL very much; Lucy Parham and Hannah French demonstrated how this two handed conversational format can, and should, be done.

[silvestrione]

For me, the six preludes Richter recorded for DG (I think as a filler for an LP, though I first had them on an EP) are one of the great piano recordings. Just contrast his B flat with Lugansky! I heard him play these at the Royal Festival Hall, where he included the great B minor (not, unfortunately, in the DG set, but on the Olympia CD). In the BAL, we didn't hear the G sharp minor, did we? Richter's favourite encore, and most poetic of the lot for me.

[Barbirollians]

I have a BBC MM CD with Richter playing more than those six - very fine as i recall . Did the enjoyable recordings of our late member Peter Katin get a mention ?