Comparing Notes: Rachmaninoff’s Concerto #2, op. 18

March 22, 2019 Piano in My Life Anna Fedorova, Concerto #2, Denis Matsuev, Krystian Zimerman, Nathan Lee, Piano Performer Magazine, Rachmaninoff, Vladimir Ashkenazi (MGBH), Yevgenii Kissin 0

Article by Alex Davydovich

Composed between Fall of 1900 and April of 1901, Concerto #2 was premiered on November 9th, 1901 by Rachmaninoff (OBM) as a pianist and Alexander Siloti (OBM), his cousin, as a conductor. Not everyone knows that this concerto was dedicated to Nikolai Dahl (OBM), the physician who was a tremendous help to Rachmaninoff in helping him restore self-confidence after a prolonged depression caused by excess criticism of his First Symphony paired up with problems in personal life. After the first and last movement premiered in December 1900 with Rachmaninoff as the soloist, the entire piece was first performed in 1901 and was enthusiastically received. This concerto earned the composer a Glinka Award, the first of five awarded to him throughout his life, and a 500-rouble prize in 1904.

We hope our readers and listeners will find their favorite interpretation of this magnificent work of art below and share their impressions with us in the comments.

Anna Fedorova (MGBH):

Denis Matsuev (MGBH):

Vladimir Ashkenazi (MGBH):

Krystian Zimerman (MGBH):

Nathan Lee (MGBH):

Simon Trpceski (MGBH):

Evgenii Kissin (MGBH):

By Rachmaninoff (OBM) himself:

Comparing Notes: Clair De Lune

March 22, 2018 Comparing Notes, Spring Issue 2018 Vol 9 Angela Hewitt (MGBH), Claire de Lune by Debussy (OBM), Kathia Buniatishvili (MGBH), Seong-Jin Cho (MGBH), Simone Dinnerstein (MGBH), Svyatoslav Richter (OBM), Umi Garrett (MGBH), Vladimir Ashkenazi (MGBH) 0

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by Alex Davydovich (MGBH)

Votre âme est un paysage choisi
Que vont charmant masques et bergamasques
Jouant du luth et dansant et quasi
Tristes sous leurs déguisements fantasques.

Tout en chantant sur le mode mineur
L’amour vainqueur et la vie opportune,
Ils n’ont pas l’air de croire à leur bonheur
Et leur chanson se mêle au clair de lune.

Au calme clair de lune triste et beau,
Qui fait rêver les oiseaux dans les arbres
Et sangloter d’extase les jets d’eau,
Les grands jets d’eau sveltes parmi les marbres.

– Clair De Lune by Paul Verlaine (OBM)

Clair de Lune in D♭ major, the third movement of a larger work known as Suite Bergamasque by the famous pianist and composer of the Era of Impressionism Claude Debussy (OBM), has been captivating the senses of audiences for over a hundred years. Its name comes from Verlaine‘s (OBM) poem Clair de lune, “moonlight” in French. In this section, we present the seven pianists performing this piece, each through their own interpretation. Which one appeals to you the most? Please, share your comments and thoughts below.