Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 4

Giltburg, Boris;
Brussels Philharmonic;
Sinaisky, Vassily

8.574528

Rachmaninov’s First Piano Concerto was composed while he was a student at the Moscow Conservatoire, then fully reworked before he left Russia in 1917 and again in 1919. It is hard to explain why it never achieved a higher level of popularity – it has all of the melodic beauty, passion and brilliance found throughout the composer’s music. The Fourth Piano Concerto was much revised after harsh criticism at its premiere but it occupies a unique place in Rachmaninov’s oeuvre, showing a progression from lush Romanticism towards the muscular transparency of his later works. The electrifying Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini is a concerto in all but name – the work’s sense of fun and demonic bravura has ensured its place among the mostloved and often performed works for piano and orchestra.

Works:

• Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor, Op. 1
•Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Op. 40
•Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43

CD

Muzyka klasyczna

Naxos

05-04-2023

747313452873