The nutcracker suite, op 71a tchaikovskypletnev from. Mikhail pletnev is recognized as a reference performer of tchaikovskys music, and in particular of the nutcracker. Written for the concert tales of edgar allen poe, performed on oct 15, 1999 at avery fisher hall at lincoln center. It was in fact balmonts own russian adaptation of the poem the bells by edgar allan poe. The rachmaninov receives a darkearth account of soulful, volatile expression. Rachmaninov, mikhail pletnev, russian national orchestra. The bells sergey rachmaninov concerts, introduction. The four types of bells as described by poe silver sleigh bells, golden wedding bells, brazen alarm bells and. Pletnev plays tchaikovsky pletnev the nutcracker suite. Pletnev s rachmaninov symphonies and symphonic dances are too refined and never really catch fire.
Pletnevs facility and fantasy, with rostropovichs love and care, fuse this concerto into something totally meaningful. Order from your preferred classical music cd store arkivmusic. Rachmaninoff completed his choral symphony, the bells, in 19, and thereafter liked it best of all his works. Mikhail pletnev, russian national orchestra tchaikovsky. Mikhail pletnev rachmaninoff recital live 2017 youtube. Title kolokola, poem for chorus, voices and orchestra composer rachmaninoff, sergei. Sergey vasilyevich rachmaninov 1873 1943 variations on a theme of corelli, op. Pletnev doesnt stint on the concertos virtuoso demands, which are, after all, its raison detre. Written in 19, there is a freshness of invention that is irresistible. His global career stalled when cultural relations with the soviet union were curtailed during that nations war in afghanistan but he toured the soviet territories, released recordings and made. Rachmaninov bells rattle warner classics 9 84519 2 mc. Sergei rachmaninov, mikhail pletnev, russian national.
Rachmaninoff, dutoit, phl, sergey vasilyevich rachmaninov, charles dutoit. In the original, the bells are tinkly and silver, then golden and joyous, brazen and terrifying, and finally iron and demonic. The best performances in this fourdisc set are of the isle of the dead, the rock, the bells, and taneyevs john of damascus. A young admirer a student cellist of rachmaninov sent him, anonymously, the symbolist writer konstantin balmonts russian translation of edgar alan poes poem and asked him to set the verses to music. After his enormously popular piano concertos and the rhapsody on a theme of paganini which are always among the most performed concert works, the most admired of sergey rachmaninovs largescale orchestral compositions are his symphonies no. In 19, an anonymous young admirer sent rachmaninoff a. Mikhail pletnevs genius as pianist, conductor and composer enchants and amazes. The four types of bells as described by poe silver sleigh bells, golden wedding bells, brazen alarm bells and iron funeral bells span the whole of human existence. Pletnevs third movement comes off in a frustratingly enervated manner, and this is supposed to be about alarm bells. Forming part of a doublebill with tchaikovskys last opera, iolanta, the nutcracker was first staged in december 1892 at the imperial mariinsky theatre, st. The northwestern university symphony orchestra, university chorale and apollo chorus of chicago join together for sergei rachmaninoffs the bells under the direction of victor yampolsky.
Rachmaninov keeps to this ground plan fairly roughly, transposing the four moods into the ages of man from birth to death. Moscow was his choral symphony the bells 19, based on konstantin balmonts russian translation of the poem by edgar allan poe. This performance featured soloists bahareh poureslami soprano, scott ramsay tenor, and keven keys baritone. Grande serata di passione musicale con mikhail pletnev alla testa della russian national orchestra passione. Mikhail pletnev plays rachmaninoff piano concerto no. In pletnevs hands, the central climax is surprisingly powerful, with just a hint of the buzzsaw in the brass playing. On may 9, 11, and 12, the houston symphony presents rachmaninoffs the bells, a monumental choral symphony that the composer regarded as his best piece. It was the first russian orchestra to perform at the apostolic palace, vatican and in israel. In the first symphony mikhail pletnev produces a range of sonority and clarity of articulation that we recognize from his keyboard playing, and there is.
The finale benefits from baritone vladimir chernovs powerful tones and convincing declamation, while everyone else is just a bit too comfortable. For abenignart pyotr ilyich tchaikovskys old classic nutcracker suite, in mikhail pletnev s solo piano arrangement. The fabulous delicacy elsewhere is alone worth the price of admission. Serebrier, delivers an exemplary concert performance of rachmaninovs lively choral symphony op. He brings an entirely new light to rachmaninovs the bells, going beyond rachmaninovs lush tones and timbres to achieve an impressive, first class recording. Perhaps the text an adaptation of edgar allan poe struck a chord with this composers sensibilities. The bells was the composers followup to an earlier cantata entitled spring. Nuit sur le mont triglav 3rd act of the ballet opera mlada. The words are from the poem the bells by edgar allan poe, very freely translated into russian by the symbolist poet konstantin balmont.
Symphonic dances pletnev, russian national orchestra, moscow state chamber choir, mescheriakova, larin, chernov 2011 deutsche grammophon gmbh, berlin play all. He brings an entirely new light to rachmaninov s the bells, going beyond rachmaninov s lush tones and timbres to achieve an impressive, first class recording. Mikhail pletnev plays rachmaninov piano world piano. Pletnevs playing of it is pretty wonderful, too, inviting comparisons once again with argerichs dashingly slick recordings, and rostropovich does bring out the humour in the orchestral writing. Rachmaninov was fired up to write the work following an anonymous text he was sent in rome that he assumed was an original work written by the russian poet konstantin balmont. In this post, discover how this powerful work inspired by the poetry of edgar allan poe prophesied the turmoil russia would face in the 20th century. The bells is clearly the next step on that symphonic path not only because it, too, has its roots in liturgical music but also because rachmaninov explicitly called it a choral symphony, not a. Rostropovich clarifies rachmaninovs orchestral small print to offset pletnevs fastidious insights. Sergei rachmaninov, sergei taneyev, mikhail pletnev, moscow.
Rachmaninov, mikhail pletnev, russian national orchestra symphony no. Lento lugubre the mournful iron bells while it is true that rachmaninovs choral symphony the bells was ultimately based on the edgar allan poe poem of the same name, its more direct. Pletnev brings an impressive quality with subtle insights and vivid intensity to the russian national orchestra, recognised as one the worlds top orchestras. After his enormously popular piano concertos and the rhapsody on a theme of paganini which are always among the most performed concert works, the most admired of sergey rachmaninov s largescale orchestral compositions are his symphonies no. Rachmaninov allegedly considered the bells to be his best work, and it is not difficult to hear why. What with mariss jansonss outstanding accounts of the third symphony and symphonic dances emi, 1293, rachmaninovs admirers have been well served of late. Mikhail pletnev born 1957 in archangelsk is one of the outstanding pianists of. Mikhail pletnev, conductor fans of the nutcracker suite who are looking for more of the same type of music need look no further than the complete ballet, which contains almost four times as much music as the eightmovement suite. In his atmospheric rendition of rachmaninovs the rock, conductor alexander anissimov delights in the rimskykorsakovstyle fantasy of the music while emphasizing its drama, making this one of the best recordings since walter wellers fluid and expressive reading on decca which, along with his rachmaninov symphonies has yet to see laser light. Cd, album, 4d deutsche grammophon, deutsche grammophon 439 8882. The piano forums are an online community of piano lovers including piano industry professionals, concert artists, recording artists, technicians, dealers, manufacturers, and thousands of enthusiastic amateur pianist. Pletnev makes sense out of unruly rachmaninoff sfgate. His transcriptions for piano of tchaikovskys nutcracker suite and sleeping.