I have nothing in common with Sergei
Rachmaninov. He was twice in exile; once from his beloved Russia,
the second time from Europe convulsed in wars. He ended his days in
what must have seemed to him a somewhat barbaric land, playing almost
non-stop in order to earn money for himself, his family, and his
entourage. This evening I sat peacefully in England, with no wars
currently in sight; yet I really needed to immerse myself in
the music of Rachmaninov, first the second symphony, then the second
piano concerto. For the symphony, only Valery Gergiev and the
Kirov orchestra would do. For the second piano concerto, only Boris
Giltburg could be chosen. It was an all-Russian evening, and a
highly satisfactory one, at that. Strange how moods dictate musical
choice, which is one reason I always hesitated before buying in
advance a ticket for a musical evening. Imagine turning out at 7:30
on a Thursday to hear Haydn, when your mood says “Rachmaninov” !
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2 comments:
Have you perhaps ever come across the 1945 recording of the Rachmaninoff 2nd conducted by the "Russian Furtwangler" Nikolai Golovanov? I'd recommend it as a particularly probing account, one which does take considerable liberties, however, with the score (I for one regard this as worthy tinkering in Golovanov's hands).
You can find it on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAYqjYPCCGk
With best regards, -Don
Thanks for this, Don. I'll give it a try.
Harry
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