Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2, etc

INTRODUCTION

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov was one of the most promising composers emerging from Russia after Tchaikovsky. His early works included the youthfully energetic Piano Concerto in F sharp minor, Op.1, an orchestral fantasia The Rock, the opera Aleko, several songs, piano pieces (including the famous Prelude in C sharp minor, a work that would plague Rachmaninov with its popularity throughout his life) and the First Symphony ...
...latter; it was his magnum opus up until that time. However the symphony proved to be the biggest disappointment of his career, causing a tremendous crisis in his creative life. All the critics jumped on the work, most notably César Cui who compared it with the Seven Plagues of Egypt and condemned the work as modernist trash. The effect on the sensitive composer who had tasted so much promise and praise from such high authorities as Tchaikovsky (who ... more

INTRODUCTION

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov was one of the most promising composers emerging from Russia after Tchaikovsky. His early works included the youthfully energetic Piano Concerto in F sharp minor, Op.1, an orchestral fantasia The Rock, the opera Aleko, several songs, piano pieces (including the famous Prelude in C sharp minor, a work that would plague Rachmaninov with its popularity throughout his life) and the First Symphony in D minor, Op.13. Rachmaninov had high hopes for the latter; it was his magnum opus up until that time. However the symphony proved to be the biggest disappointment of his career, causing a tremendous crisis in his creative life. All the critics jumped on the work, most notably César Cui who compared it with the Seven Plagues of Egypt and condemned the work as modernist trash. The effect on the sensitive composer who had tasted so much promise and praise from such high authorities as Tchaikovsky (who also helped him stage Aleko's first performance), Taneyev and his first teacher Zverev, as well as receiving the "Great Gold Medal" of the conservatory (awarded to only two others before him), was immense. This plunged him directly into great self-doubt and gloom, causing in him a creative void, when he composed practically nothing for three whole years. This despondency caused much anxiety among his friends and so they persuaded Rachmaninov to see Doctor Nikolai Dahl. Dr. Dahl specialized in internal medicine and became interested in the therapeutic values of hypnotism. He was also a great lover of music and played the cello in an amateur quartet, plus the fact that Dahl's treatment on Rachmaninov's friends had had such positive results, it was determined that Rachmaninov should try it, too.

Rachmaninov agreed without resistance, so desperate was he about his dark present and his even darker future to try anything suggested to him. As Dr. Dahl lived almost next door to the composer, he visited the doctor daily. Shortly after the sessions began Rachmaninov started to feel better. The sessions concentrated on helping him sleep soundly and peacefully every night, to brighten his daytime mood, to improve his appetite and, above all, to reawaken his desire to compose. The specific focus of these sessions was the concerto he had promised London earlier in 1899. His inspiration grew quickly and soon he had more than enough material for his new work. Before the end of summer of 1900 Rachmaninov had composed the second and third movements of his Second Piano Concerto, Op.18. These two movements were initially presented in a concert on December 2, 1900, in Moscow, organized by Princess Lieven and Varvara Satina for the Ladies' Charity Prison Committee. Much hope and importance was placed on the concert, as it was to be the final test for the success of his cure, and at that it proved to be just the success what was hoped for. However, despite the enthusiastic reception, Rachmaninov still had his doubts, most notably concerning the first movement that followed in October 1901. He was worried that the first theme sounded too much like an introduction and the second theme more like the first theme. Because of this effect Rachmaninov considered the movement ruined and the whole thing became hideous to him. And these worries were expressed five days before the first complete performance on October 27!

But the concert, arranged by the Moscow Philharmonic Society and conducted by Alexander Siloti with Basil Sapellnikov at the piano, was a huge success. Other new works presented at the concert also included the Cello Sonata, the cantata Spring, a piano prelude in G minor and the twelve songs of Op.21. The Concerto was dedicated to Dr. Dahl, and it is through this work that his name is best remembered today. The Second Concerto is cast in C minor, and it is this work that defined the sound of Rachmaninov for years to come. Gone were the more modern aspects of his First Symphony, and instead Rachmaninov created a virtuoso concerto in the 19th century Romantic tradition of Tchaikovsky, full of pathos, heart-on-sleeve romanticism and magnificently lyrical melodies around every turn. It is this pure melodic writing that appealed to the general public and established Rachmaninov as one of the most popular and emotionally engaging concert composers, a status he still enjoys today. If you consider the work on purely technical merits, one has to admit it is not an eminently satisfying piece. There is really little overall contrast between the movements, with technical handling that is far from groundbreaking (in fact at times even commonplace) and themes that don't really develop very much in the process. But all of these deficiencies are vastly outnumbered by the lyrical invention, the emotional content and the sheer vitality of the music. It is not perfect, but human emotions rarely are. And it is this passion and honesty that has appealed to many people in the course of the Concerto's history and guaranteed its position as the most popular of Rachmaninov's four concertos.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CONCERTO

I. Moderato

The Concerto opens with eight solemn chords, like the tolling of bells (a familiar Rachmaninov feature), each growing in volume and intensity, the outer chords remaining constant while the inner ones changing each time. The ninth chord establishes the main key of C minor that results in flowing arpeggios while the strings present the first theme. This is a broadly swinging tune that is quietly gloomy, constantly revolving around the tonic note. The piano then emerges from the background to accompany the theme, soon changing into nervous trembling before a series of heavy chords lead into an orchestral climax signaling the end of the first theme. The piano then presents the romantic second theme in E flat major that is more calm and happy in tone. The melancholy mood however is never far away, with gently wistful and nostalgic undertones always pervading the musical fabric in the background or foreground. As the tempo quickens we reach the development section with high woodwinds providing a new rhythmic fragment, while the first subject is gently referenced to. The piano extends on this idea with scintillating leaps, growing in pace along with the second theme that is combined with the first in the background. The music grows in intensity as we reach a climax with the piano thundering away the rhythm of this motive and thus reaching the recapitulation. This entire process from the beginning to this point has fleeted past us almost without notice, so vital is this music that we are carried away before we even realise how much has been achieved. The tempo changes into Maestoso alla marcia with the first theme returning as it did in the beginning, only being more vigorous and with the piano still insisting on the development's rhythm. The piano takes over the first theme in a more gentle fashion, at the end of which a solo horn brings back the second theme. Instead of a cadenza the piano, with the orchestra in the background, performs a kind of free rhapsody that ends with the piano beginning a semiquaver passage, finally bringing the movement to a close with a final three chord tam-TAM-tam on the piano.

II. Adagio sostenuto

The slow movement is one of the most famous movements Rachmaninov ever wrote, especially after its use in the 1945 film Brief Encounter. The mood of this Adagio is that of a nocturne which begins with four introductory bars on the strings, providing a transition from the C minor of the first movement to E major of the second. The piano enters with gentle groups of arpeggios that gradually descend in semitones each before the main theme is presented by a flute. This flute melody on the other hand has a tendency to rise by semitones, providing a contrast to the descending piano line. The melody itself is full of that magical romanticism, that is not really novel but still evocatively enjoyable and soothing. The piano takes over this melody with the clarinet continuing with the ascending figure, hovering around G sharp. The piano then introduces a variant in the minor, bringing us nearer to the wistful world of the first movement's second theme. The music gathers in excitement, reaching an extended cadenza for solo piano. After a pause the piano arpeggios return and thus we reach the main theme again, this time played by the strings. The piano then launches into a swaying figure with the strings breathing a gently dying phrase, with the flutes and clarinets intoning fleeting staccato chords, the music ending in a sweet sense of melancholy.

III. Allegro scherzando

The Finale begins with a spritely introduction, hinting at the rhythm of the main part of the movement. The effect is roughly the same as was with the transition to the second movement from the first. The piano then enters with a virtuostic flourish before presenting the main C minor theme, sounding very much like a sort of dance. Soon the tempo changes to Moderato and we are presented with one of Rachmaninov's big tunes in B flat major, broadly presented by oboes and violas and then by piano which extends the theme further. A piano passage, accompanied by brushed cymbal strokes serves as transition to the first theme. There is a brief fugato section that soon gives way to the broad second theme again, this time in D flat major on violins and flutes. After that the music moves in a very similar way as before with the piano taking the theme over, followed by the cymbal accompanied triplet bridge passage that leads to a momentary hint at the first movement's first theme along with references to the Finale's main theme. There is another brief cadenza that culminates with the broad theme in a triumphant C major (Maestoso) with the piano strumming at the top of the orchestral glamour. Now all that is left is to bring the work to a close. With several upward runs on the piano (Risoluto), the scintillating piano is joined by cymbal clashes that finally culminate with Rachmaninov's favourite YUM-pa-ta-TUM cadence in the orchestra.

RECORDINGS

The Second Concerto has been recorded many times, almost to the point of over-familiarity. But there are some standout performances that have to be mentioned. At the top must be the recordings made by Rachmaninov himself when he made a recording contract with RCA. Rachmaninov recorded the concerto at least three times, in 1918, 1929 and in the beginning of the 1940s. The best must be considered the 1929 version with the Philadelphia Orchestra (considered by Rachmaninov as one of the very best orchestras in the world) under Leopold Stokowski. This concerto along with the other three has been newly released on the budget Naxos label using transfers made by Mark Obert-Thorn originally for Dutton. And despite some surface noise and hiss these are still the original recordings by the composer, and belong in any serious collectors library. Vladimir Ashkenazy's 1963 account with Kirill Kondrashin conducting the Moscow Philharmonic also stands high among the numerous recordings, matching Rachmaninov's own recording in its honesty of thought. The performance has much dramatic flair, with a great sense of freshness and conviction. The slow movement in particular is truly magical indeed. Ashkenazy's later recording with the London Symphony Orchestra and André Previn is not as satisfying despite some first class playing. The recorded sound is a little too gruff at times and the orchestra is not as polished as one would wish but with all four concertos offered in one budget-priced package it might prove tempting to many.

Mikhail Rudy's version with Mariss Jansons and the Royal Philharmonic offers a superb recording, with the orchestra and soloist's relationship in perfect harmony. The recorded sound is beautiful and the work really comes off as a Concerto for Piano and Orchestra instead of a concerto for piano. Jean-Yves Thibaudet's account with the Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Ashkenazy, is a close rival in the more recent releases. Thibaudet's approach is very different from other every day performances with some slightly jazzy undertones that pervade the entire performance. With Ashkenazy as a sympathetic conductor combined with a very lush recording it makes for a really excellent choice, even though it is at full price. For people looking for a good budget-priced recording, Naxos offers three recordings, the first by Jenö Jandó, the second by Idil Biret and the third by Bernd Glemser. The Jandó version I found the most appealing, being well played and recorded, although the Budapest Symphony is not a first class orchestra. Still the musical flow is most natural and Jandó's pianism is most convincing in its Rachmaninovian sensibility. I have not heard the Biret version, but Glemser's recording with the Polish National Orchestra (conducted by Antoni Wit) is an eminently satisfying performance in its clear and straightforward manner.

In conclusion it is easy to understand why this work is so popular. The emotional and lyrical content of the work is so appealing that, even after hearing the work numerous times, it still continues to provide entertainment. For anybody enjoying full-blooded Romantic music this is a must have and is a great way to enter into the world of Rachmaninov's music.

© berlioz
 

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