Ashkenazy - Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, PART 1 - I. Moderato

The Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, is a concerto for piano and orchestra, composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff between the autumn of 1900 and April 1901. The second and third movements were first performed with the composer as soloist on 2 December 1900.[2] The complete work was premiered, again with the composer as soloist, on 27 October 1901, with his cousin Alexander Siloti conducting.

I. Moderato

The opening movement begins with a series of bell-like tollings on the piano that build tension, eventually climaxing in the introduction of the main theme. In this first section, the orchestra carries the Russian-character melody while the piano makes an accompaniment made of arpeggios riddled with half steps. After the statement of the long first theme, a quicker transition follows until the more lyrical second theme, in E flat major, is presented.

The agitated and unstable development borrows motives from both themes changing keys very often and giving the melody to different instruments while a new musical idea is slowly formed. The music builds in a huge climax as if the work was going to repeat the first bars of the work, but the recapitulation is going to be quite different.

While the orchestra restates the first theme, the piano, that in the other occasion had an accompaniment role, now plays the march-like theme that had been halfly presented in the development, thus making a considerable readjustment in the exposition, as the main theme, played by the orchestra has become an accompaniment. This is followed by a piano solo, which leads into a descending chromatic passage and concluding with an eerie french horn solo. From here the last minutes of the movement are placid until drawn into the agitated coda, and the piece ends in C minor fortissimo.

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• Op. 18

[TheLeonardoSaez]

Uno de los más hermosos conciertos para piano y orquesta jamás escritos, y una de sus mejores interpretaciones. Esta grabación es de 1970, década en la que Ashkenazy y Previn alcanzan la cúspide de sus carreras.

[lau399]

Gracias por tu comentario. Me encanta esta versión de Ashkenazy. Voy a subir el resto dentro de poco. Gracias nuevamente. Saludos.

[blackenedheartfilms]

The best version of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No 2. Ashkenazy plays with such passion and vigour, but also not afraid to play it his own way, rather than following exactly in the footsteps of the more traditional interpretations. Superb.

[satyu131089]

Around 2:25 what a beautiful rhythmic construction! Rach makes you go crazy if you try to count!!

[cinnamonrose88]

Incredible strings!

[underwoodamy95]

Such Encouragement for us small handed pianists!!!! :D

[JoeTownley]

Ashkenazy has achieved just the right tempo for those cascading arpeggios and Previn gets just the right balance for the strings and horns against him. This comes to being just about as "perfect" an interpretation as one could hope for in a movement that in itself can be called "perfect music" i.e. not a note is wasted or unnecessarily added; it's perfect just as it is.

[Deuterium2H]

Ashkenazy is by far my favorite interpreter of Rachmaninoff as well as Chopin

[WTBbboyNAME]

I think I prefer this Previn's performance of the first movement compared to Haitink's. A little more momentum.

But Haitink takes the 2nd and 3rd movements by far

[senripiano]

Esta es la versión más hermosa que he escuchado, el tiempo perfecto y el sentimiento al tocar, qué bello! gracias por subirlo!

[meravilho]

Рахманинов - это самый крутой композитор.

[jaythoven67]

Did you know that Rachmaninoff himself arpeggiated those first chords.

Makes ya wonder why he didn't just write it that way.

[typhoidX]

Ashkenazy sets the standard for the proper performance of Rachmaninoff's compositions.