Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2: Volodos interpretation

Today I was occupied with listening of Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2. And I’ve found a recording of Arkadi Volodos. Besides this I also have heard the interpretations of Kissin, Beresovsky, Rachmaninov, Gavrilov, Hanada, Weissenberg. This is one of the most beautiful piano concertos ever composed I think. The widely singing melody and amazing Rachmaninov’s harmony make this concerto absolutely unique.

I like to compare several renditions of one piece. It is always interesting, what have one or another interpreter find in well known composition and how does he feel this music. Let look to the Volodos version.



In Volodos’ interpretation should be noted a very good balance between the piano and the orchestra and not only this. A voices balance in the piano part is also absolutely perfect. I heard many melodic lines, which I didn’t hear before.


And the second thing is an amazing tempo. Actually I prefer the first part of this concerto to be played more slowly, especially first chords. But this tempo let the interpreter make the form of this concerto more understandable and perfected. Many pianists make the first part aspiring to the culmination in reprise. It seems to me that Volodos unites all parts and further development of a musical reflection is aspiring to the culmination in the third part and the end of the concerto.



And the third part is absolutely great. The sound is full of life energy and reminds spring high water. Although all lyric places are absolutely tranquil and melodious, they are not taken out of context and general movement.
The Volodos’ style of performance impresses me by an incredible easiness of technical places which is mixed with perfect articulation and large scale of dynamic nuances.



Users from youtube service write “volodos scares me” or “Volodos is awesome!!”.
After I have heard the third part of Rachmaninov’s concerto No2 played by Arkadi Volodos I have the same feeling should I admit…

Beethoven Pathetique Sonata No8

The Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No8 in C minor op. 13, also known as “Pathetique” is very famous, one of the most famous Beethoven’s sonatas, I think the second after the “Moonlight” sonata. It was written when Beethoven was 27 years old.

I have just heard the first part of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No8 “Pathetique” performed by Freddy Kempf.



The rendition of the first chords which are marked with fp by Beethoven is for me quite strange. I never heard this place performed in such way and it seems to me too “verbatim et literatim”. But generally I like this interpretation of the Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata, it is very understandably and consonant to my feelings, with large dynamic scale and typical Beethoven’s sudden sforzandos. There is a lot of the air in the pauses.
Generally I like the performance style of Freddy Kempf. His interpretation is always very delicate and heartfelt, full of passion and love to the music which he is playing. I was really upset when he didn’t take the first prize in the International Tchaikovsky competition.

Maurice Ravel Alborada del gracioso

I have found very nice interpretation of Alborada del gracioso by Marie-Joseph Jude. You can listen it right here.

Alborada del gracioso is the forth part of Ravel's cycle Mirrors, written in 1905.
The Mirrors contain 5 parts:
1. Night Moths ("Noctuelles"),
2. Sad Birds ("Oiseaux tristes"),
3. A Boat on the Ocean ("Une barque sur l'ocean"),
4. The Comedian's Aubade ("Alborada del gracioso"),
5. The Valley of Bells ("La vallee des cloches")

The forth part was orchestrated by Ravel. The orchestral version of Alborada del gracioso you can listen in the interpretation of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev.


The sound of orchestra version is really terrific, isn't it? Timbres of different orchestral groups make this piece more distinct and vivid. It became more understandable for me how some frases should be played. After I had listen orchestral version, I decided to play piano version by myself.

If you also would like to try, you can download Ravel's Alborada del gracioso piano version for free.