Search - Sergey Rachmaninov, Sakari Oramo, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra :: Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3

Continuing the Survey of the Rachmaninov Concerti

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 09/06/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the aspects that appeals to this listener about Nikolai Lugansky's approach to the perennial favorite piano concerti of Sergei Rachmaninov is the commitment to the organic feeling of each work. So often these concerti are served up as early career, flamboyant exercises to introduce the young pianist du jour to already accepting audiences. And at times the imprint on the works imposed by the various pianists is what remains in the hall after the performance, not Rachmaninov.



Nikolai Lugansky takes more of the academic approach (not unlike the conducting of Boulez and Salonen among others) to restudy the tired works and hence rediscover the inherent magic. As demonstrated on this fine recording with Sakari Oramo and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Lugansky seems as familiar with the orchestral scoring as he is pliant with the piano role. The result is intelligent phrasing, knowing when to hold back and when to thunder forth. In both the lesser-known 1st and the infamous 3rd Lugansky finds the brains and the brawn and the lyricism that is meltingly beautiful. And what an unexpected pleasure to find a pianist paired with the same orchestra for the cycle of four concerti! A superb recording to add to the newer recording of the 2nd and 4th! Grady Harp, September 05"

Excellent Addition to the Catalogue

Andrew M. Klein | Washington, DC USA | 06/05/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These are insightful, wonderful performances of Rachmaninov's concertos and the Paganini Variations by a very talented young Russian virtuoso who shows off a technique so facile as to be disarming -- even disturbing. (Aren't these supposed to be hard to play?) I disagree with Mr. Grabowsky here. The performances are not forgettable or played in a robotic fashion, a harsh remark. The Third and the others indeed sound as if they are being played too easily, which may account for the assessment that Lugansky is uninvolved in what he is doing. ("Clean fingering" doesn't do justice to what's shown here.) And I must admit that I, too, was a bit put off by his Third at first, which ought to be a terrible stuggle for anyone to play, but doesn't seem that way as Lugansky plays it. I had the same impression to a lesser degree about the First (an undeservedly neglected masterwork of Rachmaninov's youth, revised, as I recall, later -- but I am not going to look that up for this purpose), where the insane element of the credenza in the first movement seemed to fall short to me. A second and third listening to both persuaded me otherwise in both cases. This performance of the Third does not compare to Argerich's or the old Horowitz performance either, though I have not listened to that for a long time, but it is well thought out and the playing carefully reveals all of the intricate material that Rachmnaninov created here, delivered very much in the manner of the master himself in his own performances with Ormandy. To say that these performances are like Rachmaninov's own, which they are, can hardly be taken seriously as criticism. I will have to relisten to the latter to see if I agree about the "intensity" and "personality" comment, but I do not recall them that way. Lugansky's Third may be the weakest of his performances of all of these marvelous works, but it will stay with me and be revisited fondly. Listen to the whole set and more than once before dismissing this effort. If I could find a better complete set recorded with modern technique, I would acquire it. I'll keep searching and hoping (Martha could do it, but won't), as I have for decades."