Rachmaninoff Plays his Elegie, Op 3 No 1

[physic103]

I think roll was reproduced a bit fast. But Rachmaninov interpretation is best at all.

[lryl9130]

practicing this piece right now... this recording is awesome but i won't be able to play this fast

[pianist2012]

@ampicoab I definitely agree with you, but I also believe that both performer and pianist grow by finding what they like in music or how they express themselves in music. That's the reason why so many agree or disagree with a certain interpretation of a piece. Any pianist true to what he believes is an accurate representation of himself manifested into a piece is certainly got my respect. I may not always agree with his interpretation, but he has found the true meaning of the piece.

[paderuski1]

Sergei's treatment of this piece is perfect!

[mgokalparslan]

someone stop (or at least slow down) rachmaninoff!

[alejandrothefader]

@mgokalparslan this is the correct tempo man... you kill the piece if you slow it down too much! it may be reproduced a bit too fast but nothing exagerated!

[jacobbpitt]

where can i find a high quality recording of this??

[ampicoab]

@jacobbpitt I can provide the file that was used in this You tube. It is an AIFF file of some 64 mb. Let me know how to send it.

[jacobbpitt]

@ampicoab my email is jacobbpitt@gmail.com

[WelteMax]

@ampicoab Could i have one of those two? it the best am pico recording I've ever heard!=)

[pianist2012]

Personally, I believe this rendition is a bit fast in several spots, but the passion and rubato is a bit greater in this than in Gavrilov's. If you hear this piece for the first time, it enthralls you, like it did for me. When you've actually worked on the piece, you realize that ALL music needs an individual interpretation, including music that has been interpretted by the composer himself. Rachmaninoff was a genius, but I do not particularly agree with everything in this interpretation.

[ampicoab]

@pianist2012 If everyone played each composition the same way, life would be very boring. The performer is the interpreter and not a robot. There can be many different and excellent ways of performing the same composition. The same music means different things to different people. Variety is good.

[kolopaper123]

what is this thing rolling ? :O

[OlegSutyrin]

I would recommend to listen Alexey Botvinov's rendition. His one, imho, is perfect.

[analyticaa]

Prefer Gavrilov's version. "But this is by Rachmaninoff himself, what are you retarded?" Sorry, Gavrilov's is better.

[ampicoab]

@analyticaa We have different tastes, and that is fine. I find the Gavrilov rendition so slow that I lose interest. In my opinion, a eulogy should be more than just somber, it should have some passion, too.

Maybe some more opinions could surface regarding tempo.

[alejandrothefader]

@ampicoab i don't know anything more than this rendition... as soon as i heard this, all other versions lost their charm... this is how it should be played... a fiery lament with passion and colour..... like the boss does

[Bret6464]

@analyticaa

This is Rachmaninoff performing HIS "Elegy" - the eulogy he composed for a friend - and what Rach wanted to convey in EMOTION, and to invoke emotion in the listener, assuming one is capable of emoting! :-)

This is NOT an "interpretation"

This is the "right" tempo - to suggest otherwise is sheer folly!

Gavrilov, Ashkenazy and other "interpretations" are fine, one may "prefer" one - but to suggest any interpretation is "better" than Rach is total nonsense, sorry. :-))

[LuizEduardoMenezes]

The Music will never be the same without Rachmaninoff! Thank you Rachmaninoff, for your existence.

[LuizEduardoMenezes]

The Music will never be the same without Rachamaninoff! Thank you Rachmaninoff, for your existence.

[SertavisSaviPianist]

Funny how in other videos people complain that they play this too fast, well, do they forget that Rachmaninoff was indeed a fast man? :P lets bow down to the master.

[TenorSaxchick]

No one can play this piece like him. Pure perfection.

[JC08HP]

Watching the paper scroll is like looking at Rachmaninoff's ghost... Incredible... Is the Tempo actually original?

[ampicoab]

@JC08HP The tempo marked on the roll was used. What else could I do? It sounds right to me. Since there are no audio recordings of Rachmaninov playing this composition, this roll is our best source. What do you think?

[JC08HP]

@ampicoab Well of course I agree, this is probably the most valuable source around. It just sounded a little bit swift for a piece that is written in Moderato and with this kind of character. But well, I think it's actually better this way because now the melody is hearable, instead of long, singular notes which could easily happen if you play it too slowly. So yeah... who knows maybe this is the way Rachmaninoff wanted it...

[JupiterIV]

@ampicoab What was the tempo mark?

[ampicoab]

@JupiterIV The roll tempo is 105 and can be seen at 0:11. This is a very unusual (fast) tempo for a roll of this nature. The reason for the brisk speed may have been a desire by the editors to have very high resolution in this late recording.

[FungMing89]

@ampicoab there actually was an audio recording of Rachmaninov playing this piece sometime last year.. but it was removed by the Youtube administrators..

[ampicoab]

@FungMing89 I am not sure, but I do believe the audio recording you mention had its origins with the piano roll. (search the itunes store) The piano roll was transferred to a modern solenoid type piano and a commercial, copyrighted CD of the performance was issued. Thus, the piano roll is really the only recording. And in this presentation it is 100% correct as it is performed as intended, without electronic modification, on a perfectly regulated Ampico piano. Thanks for the comment.

[Bret6464]

@FungMing89 There are still two YT clips of the remastered recording of Rach playing Elegie. I have them both in my favorites. This video is also great and the speed is right. 

Just an immensely emotional and surreal performance by Rachmaninoff :-)

[JC08HP]

@ampicoab Well of course I appreciate this "recording" very much. It's just that modern interpretations are a lot slower and some of them also actually more "moderato", while this could be regarded as andantino to allegretto already. It simply occured to me also that at the beginning of the roll there is a tempo mark. Does this mean that the instrument might allow different speeds of playback?

[ampicoab]

@JC08HP Almost all player pianos allow for speed adjustment of the roll. The correct playing speed is marked on the roll. In this case, a rather brisk speed is marked. Usually, the speed is an indication of how fast notes are repeated within the performance. A hymn might be played at the slow tempo of 40 while "The flight of the Bumble bee" is over 100. Faster speeds are necessary in rapid staccato passages for correct note duration. Most rolls can be played at tempo 75 successfully.

[MrMachfee]

i notice that other pianists take this a lot slower than rach,but if he wrote it it must be the way it is written..but i like it slower or is it the piano roll stepped up a geer

[thinkgreenlovepurple]

This is so cool...

I love this piece, how amazing is it to hear Rachmaninoff play it himself ? :)

[bigcity233]

Simply fabulous! 

[lilytoka]

Thank you very much! For me it can not get better than this!!! Amazing! It is definitely Rachmaninoff playing!!! What a great pleasure to listen and enjoy in full beauty my favourite Elegie.

[kyokutyou2007]

Ampico is the best player.

Duo-Art can't do that

[pres1362]

Thanks, love hearing this piece.

[Deere55]

Never tire of hearing this piece, it's so beautiful. There's somthing haunting about reproducing pianos. Rachmaninoff was so amazing, and to think that this is him playing, it's very awesome...

[planmix]

Does anybody know, in which way the dynamics of the keys are printed on the paper?

[ampicoab]

@planmix I do. So do many other people. It is far too complicated to explain here. There are 14 specific hole positions for dynamics in the roll. Some holes set certain specific volumes, while others allow a sliding crescendo effect. Together, the two effects control the dynamics.

[planmix]

@ampicoab Thank you very much for the info.

[BrentAudi]

Awesome video and Roll!

I noticed in the video that the hammers lift while playing. Is this for PP or "soft" playing?

If so this is very interesting.

Certain piano manufactures are coming out with this type of damper playing again instead of the keyboard moving over to the right so the hammers will only hit two strings.

Is your Mason & Hamlin designed to do this when depressing the left pedal? Or only while playing an Ampico reel?

Great video.

Brent

[ampicoab]

@BrentAudi Good question, Brent. All Ampico Grands use the "hammer rail lift" for soft pedal effect. It is sometimes called the "half blow", as it raises the hammers about half the way up. The piano still contains the Una Corda mechanism which shifts the keyboard when the left pedal is depressed. The Ampico does not use the una corda. The hammer rail lift is used only by the Ampico. The tracker hole that triggers the lift is third from the right edge.

[BrentAudi]

@ampicoab Thanks for your answer. How interesting that Ampico was that far advanced!

[kcdave64]

This instrument I would love to own!!!!!

[jev1937]

What a difference nine feet makes. Absolutely mavelous. The Ampico "A" performs emaculately in replaying this great composition and recording Artist.. Awe inspiring Perfomance. Thanks. Encore Encore!!

[stagehand19]

What a wonderful piano, with a fantastic tone. far better than steinways modern tone. I have a 1914 Hamburg built upright & the tone is so different compared with later built pianos.

Please put some more videos on soon.

[JimmieBluffdweller]

I have heared this roll many, many times, but never so well reproduced as here. BRAVO...quite an instrument and the device seems to be in superb working order and well regulated. So quiet in the soft passages and not the least bit 'hard'.

[MartinaFromPoland]

super super super ach !

[BrookHornblower]

I would like to know why all Rachmaninov recordings sound similar (I mean they all have the same crystalline, pearly quality and softness). Is it because of the recording equipment? And yet this is on the roll, and yet that sounds similar to all his other recordings - eg his Liszt rhapsodie 2 or, say, the concertos)

[alejandrothefader]

@BrookHornblower cause they re masterized i suppose? and because rachmaninoff was the boss, with hands that were like a giant's and one of the best techniques ever...

[InsaneSparrow]

I just sat here and relaxed for 4 and a half minutes. Thankyou :)

[stienwayz]

I'm still surprised how many people have NOT watched your video yet.... it is really the best recording of the roll I have seen!!!

[sfatlarge]

This a very, very rare 9' Mason & Hamlin AMPICO playing Rachmaninoff -- very, very rare piano (a concert grand)!

[bigcity233]

Thank you for posting this excellent expample of a beautifully restored Ampico - amazingly realistic performance. I believe the Ampico may have had the edge over its competition in terms realism of performance and dynamic range.

[TheKnabe]

Perfect!

[stienwayz]

AMAZING!!! THANK YOU =)

[sfatlarge]

This is the BEST performance of the ELEGY of Rachmaninoff on an actual AMPICO reproducing piano. Gentlemen, and ladies, we have just heard Sergi Rachmaninoff play!