artist : Yuja Wang, Claudio Abbado
title : Rachmaninov
label : Deutsche Grammophon
cat# : 477 9308
genre : Classical
street date : 2011-02-25
tracks : 29
bitrate : 229 kbps avg. 44.1/Joint Stereo
size : 92.69 mb
source : CD
type : Retail
url : http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/yujawang-rachmaninov
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Recording these piano concertos by Rachmaninov came as a surprise and
delight to Yuja Wang, and was a choice spurred on by Claudio Abbado: ôI'd
worked with him before, but not in these concertos. He plays with very few
soloists these days, so it was a particular honour - I'd happily have
played anything he wanted me to play."
ôI like really to grasp the flow of the Russian soul through Russian
literature and understand the emotional ideals, and to touch on that
during a live concert is quite difficult. In the Second Piano Concerto the
big challenge is projecting myself: the writing is fairly transparent but
the melody is overpowering, and cutting through the texture in order to be
heard isn't easy. It's a challenge to bring out the harmonies, and the
legatos are very special. At many points in this concerto, the piano is
almost an accompaniment to the orchestra. The Mahler Chamber Orchestra
were wonderful to work with: they listen to each other so well, and
they're all really young, about my age. I think the excitement of the live
concert is truly present in the recording."
The genesis of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 is almost as legendary
as the music itself. Severely depressed after his Symphony No. 1 had been
panned at its premiere in 1897, the young Rachmaninov found himself unable
to set pen to manuscript paper for two years. On the advice of his
cousins, he consulted Dr. Nikolai Dahl, a specialist in neuropsychotherapy
who used hypnosis to build up Rachmaninov's confidence towards beginning a
new concerto that would be ôexcellent". The composer indeed emerged ready
to set to work with renewed energy, sketching out the piece during visits
to the Crimea and Italy in 1900; he gave the world premiere himself in
Moscow on 9 November 1901. The piece's immediate acclaim duly established
him as one of the most exciting composers of his day.
Yuja Wang has drawn considerable inspiration from Rachmaninov's own
interpretation of the concerto, which is controlled and classical as
others can be extrovert and passionate: ôInstead of sounding very broad in
what you might expect to be huge lyrical moments, his sound remains
amazingly transparent," she says.
By the time Rachmaninov began his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini his fame
was universal, but his life had changed radically. In 1917 he and his wife
fled the Russian Revolution, travelling first to Sweden and then to the
USA. In Russia he had pursued a vocation primarily as a composer; in the
West, though, the need for income propelled him into an international
career as a concert pianist. His time for composition was consequently
reduced, but the works he did produce showed increasing sophistication and
originality and the Rhapsody is no exception.
It dates from 1934 when Rachmaninov was living in Switzerland, near Lake
Lucerne. The theme is from No. 24 from Paganini's Caprices for violin, a
set of virtuoso variations so difficult that it contributed to Paganini's
being associated in the public imagination with the devil himself.
Rachmaninov used the theme as the basis for a series of twenty-four
variations plus introduction and coda, ingeniously combining the format
with that of a three-movement concerto.
The first movement is the substantial, dizzyingly varied section from the
start to Variation 15. First, only the barest outline is heard; Paganini's
theme comes into focus with the entry of the piano, which soon carries
matters away into the fantastical skitterings of the first few variations.
The ôsecond subject" appears with the sixth, more reflective variation,
and in the seventh Rachmaninov introduces the plainchant ôDies irae" - a
reference that appears in many of his works almost as a signature motif.
After a concluding climax in Variation 15, the ôslow movement" ensues,
building through the expectant No. 16 and nocturnal perambulations of No.
17 to the work's most celebrated transformation of the Paganini melody in
No. 18, progressing to a soaring grandeur on full orchestra. No. 19
plunges into a scherzo finale replete with wit, jazziness and a
bedazzlement of virtuosity, though the ôDies irae" is never far away.
Finally the music evaporates as if in a puff of smoke.
Yuja Wang is full of enthusiasm for this lithe and athletic work. ôIt's my
favourite of the Rachmaninov works for piano and orchestra," she declares.
ôIt's a red-hot work - it suits young people my age because it's so
emotional. It's very cleverly written and shows all the different sides of
Rachmaninov. There's so much variety in it, so many colours: I think
that's where his genius lies, in the invention of all these
characteristics that explore everything the piano can do."
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01 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Introduction 0:09
02 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 1 0:20
03 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Theme 0:20
04 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 2 0:19
05 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 3 0:26
06 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 4 0:28
07 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 5 0:28
08 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 6 1:03
09 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 7 1:03
10 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 8 0:34
11 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 9 0:32
12 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 10 0:54
13 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 11 1:16
14 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 12 1:18
15 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 13 0:29
16 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 14 0:45
17 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 15 1:09
18 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 16 1:34
19 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 17 1:35
20 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 18 2:45
21 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 19 0:28
22 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 20 0:36
23 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 21 0:26
24 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 22 1:47
25 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 23 0:52
26 Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Op. 43 - Variation 24 1:21
27 Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 2 In C Minor Op. 18 - 10:26
Moderato
28 Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 2 In C Minor Op. 18 - Adagio 11:15
Sostenuto
29 Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 2 In C Minor Op. 18 - Allegro 11:26
Scherzando
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