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Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 18, Moments Musicaux, Op. 16
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Here is an album that’s been out for a while, and I think it’s been overlooked.
Rachmaninoff was the last major Romantic composer according to folks who decide these things. I’m not sure. Comparing Rachmaninoff with even Stravinsky has convinced me that Rachmaninoff was more than capable with some surprising sounds, while Stravinsky wasn’t always doing Le Sacre. But one thing I’m sure of: Many soloists and conductors will coat Rachmaninoff with enough sweetness to pour over desert. I call it the “Full Moon and Empty Arms” syndrome.
Dejan Lazic is a remarkable musician/arranger/composer. His work is sometimes criticized for not being true to the composers wishes, while others sing his praises for his intelligence, and for finding the emotion in works. Note that I said emotion, not sweetness.
Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto #2 has Dejan Lazik supported by the London Philharmonic Orchestra with Kirill Petrenko conducting. Petrenko subsequently became the chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic.
The result is not your Grandmother’s Second Concerto. It builds from the beginning and radiates a compelling lyrical sensitivity all the way through. The soloist and orchestra play as one unit.
A surprising accompanying work on the album is Moments Musicaux (Opus 16), which I knew only from Vladimir Ashkenazy’s recording. Not to take anything away from Ashkenazy’s performance, but Lazic really brings these pieces home. The Moments Musicaux alone is worth the cost of the album.
OK— But what about the recording? The concerto is a live concert recording, and it is superb! Stereo, or multichannel, take your choice.
It’s truly one I wouldn’t want to be without. I hadn’t heard it in a while, and it made me smile all over again.
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