Welcome to ‘Dodd’s Discoveries’, a review series from NativeDSD Senior Music Reviewer Bill Dodd. This series focuses on Bill’s latest selections, with new reviews regularly. And the best part… the albums featured in the most current review will be available at a reduced price! Click the button below to see all of Dodd’s Discoveries and to find the current album(s) on sale.
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Rachmaninoff 3 & Prokofiev 2€18,99 – €30,99
Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto premiered on November 28, 1909, in New York City. The composer himself was the soloist, and Walter Damrosch conducted the New York Symphony Society. That must have been amazing! But even more amazing: just about 6 weeks later, at New York’s Carnegie Hall, Rachmaninoff was again the soloist, but it was Gustav Mahler who conducted the New York Symphony Society. I would love to get into the Wayback Machine to time-travel to that concert!
The early 20th Century was such a dazzling time for music– just as it was a time of political upheaval.
But after more than a century, pianist Josu de Solaun, backed by the Orquesta Sinfonica de Castilla y Leon, conducted by Isobel Rubio, bring a brightness and power to Rach 3 that is quite thrilling. While there is no loss to the romantic nature of this work, there is less of the “romantic” sweetness that some performers display. This is an “iron hand in this velvet glove!” There’s a lot going on here, and de Solaun’s excellent liner notes tell us why.
Also remarkable is Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto #2. It’s technically difficult, and full of Prokofiev’s irony, sarcasm, and surprises. But again, I defer to Josu de Solaun’s excellent liner notes which you can read easily from the listing.
The bottom line? As with so many other works, I’ve collected and enjoyed multiple recording of these works, but these performances were surprising! And quite involving! I truly enjoyed this album. The recording quality is excellent.
From album booklet, a portion of the January 16, 1910 concert program:
