Search - Rachmaninoff, Cecile Licad, Claudio Abbado :: Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Debut Recording of Cecile Licad, piano)

An Amazing Revelation

Albert J. Yokum | Baldwin, NY United States | 05/12/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After years of searching for perspectives on the dimensions of this work, I finally settled in 1973 on Vladimir Ashkenazy's version as being the most passionate and fulfilling. Even Rachmaninov himself seemed stilted and disconnected from its spirituality.

But now in May of 2006 I have listened to Cecile Licad's decidedly different and courageous diversion from all other approaches, noticeable in the first two bars, and Abbado's orchestration's envelopment of her beautiful movements, I am in a whole new world of appreciation for how a classical piece can be used to explore our humanity. It is the most wonderful thing I have heard since Bernstein's playing and conducting (at the same time) of Gershwin. Bravo!!"

Masterful performance, insightful interpretation

V. Reyes | San Diego, CA USA | 12/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the debut recording of Miss Licad, fresh from winning the

Leventritt First Prize in piano after a 10-year period without an

awardee. Her playing is poetic in the slow, lyrical passages, but

forceful and exuberant in the fast, pyrotechnical passages. Her

tone is ultra-elegant during the largo and moderato sections,

yet very delicate and crystalline in the pianissimo segments.

I would say this is Cecile Licad at her best. The famous 18th variation

of the Paganini Rhapsody is especially notable for its transcendent

poetry. This is one of the best, if not the best, recording of Rach 2

and Paganini Rhapsody I have ever heard, and I have heard many. The

only other recordings which can hold a candle to this one are those by

Vladimir Ashkenazy and Evgeny Kissin. All the rest, in my opinion,

are far inferior to these three recordings.



"

I'm not kidding, this is at par with the Askenazy and Rubins

Concordian | Concord, CA USA | 04/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Being here in Manila gives me the privilege of not just celebrating one of the best pianists in the world but of promoting it. Cecile Licad as we know it is a Levntritt Gold Medalist and was trained by some of the greatest masters of the 20th century. I'm just surprised to see her career not flourish like other pianists in the music scene. I know a lot of people comment that Cecile Licad though she is one of the most brilliant musicians of our time is difficult to watch because her style of performance is way ahead of her time. She literally headbangs and sings out the chords as masterfully weaves her magical hands across the keyboard. I'm even one to witness in one of her performances in Manila just last 2002, when she was performing the daunting RACHMANINOFF 3rd Concerto, the power in the Cultural Center of the Philippines goes off. Regardless of the lack of power and total PITCH BLACK darkness, she never missed a single note of the concerto even if the power was out for roughly 3 entire minutes. The entire audience was just at awe. Cecile was already 39 years old during that performance.



I've also had the privilege of listening to her play this concerto as well as the Rhapsody on two separate occasions. Her performance of the concerto was unfortunately botched by the lack of nobility and common sense by the previous conductor of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, Barbieri. Watching that performance was excruciating because I could see how Cecile was struggling with an orchestra while Barbieri tries to play Rachmaninov like an amateur. That evening was a disaster. Barbieri got fired. Good thing.



Anyway, going back to this recording. I've always been curious for many years now how Cecile Licad sounded like a couple of decades ago only having been a fan of hers from the late 90s to the present. I always wanted to know if she was just a "mechanical" prodigy with no artistry whatsoever who only evolved into the musical mind that she is today. After listening to this recording, I was totally mesmerized and convinced that her musical artistry has long been in tact from the time she was young.



This is one of the best recordings of this concerto. It's not the typical interpretation. Her Rachmaninoff is definitely how Rachmaninoff should be played, better than Rachmaninoff himself. In fact Rachmaninoff oftentimes commented that other pianists should be able to play better than him with his compositions. I believe she's in the ranks of the greatest pianists in the world like Martha Argerich."