Sunday Classics preview: A peek at the "fifth" Rachmaninoff piano concerto

Paganini started it all, with the theme that every composer wanted to write variations on -- as if Paganini (1782-1840) hadn't already done it himself in the 24th Caprice for solo violin. We've got a proper violin performance below, but here guitarist Eliot Fisk plays his own transcription.

by Ken

Last night we sampled the second of Sergei Rachmaninoff's four piano concertos, in anticipation of our look tomorrow at the entire piece. In addition to the four formal concertos, Rachmaninoff's piano-and-orchestra output includes a remarkable set of variations, the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, on "the" Paganini tune. It's one of his most inspired and loved creations, and I don't know of any better way to illustrate the richness of his imagination than to make a tactical leap from the early variations to the most famous of them, the 18th (of 21).

To go back to the beginning, here's what Paganini actually wrote, as played by the young Itzhak Perlman.

PAGANINI: Caprice No. 24 in A minor


Itzhak Perlman, violin. RCA/BMG, recorded March 1965

Note: This recording was made in 1965 as part of what was supposed to be Perlman's RCA debut recital album, which he programmed the way he would a little violin recital. It went unreleased for decades because the brains at RCA decided it was too modest a representation of a violinist they had decided in the meantime was going to be a Really Big Deal. (Well, they were certainly right about that!) It was finally issued in 2004 in BMG's RCA Rediscovered series.

The Rachmaninoff Paganini Rhapsody runs, on average, some 21-23 minutes. Let's listen to the first three or so, which encompass: (1) a brief orchestra-with-piano introduction, (2) the first variation (yes, that's right, before we've even heard the theme!), (3) the theme (finally!), and (4) Variations 2 through 6. Many of the later variations are longer, but note just how short some of them are.

IF YOU WANT TO BONE UP ON YOUR RHAPSODIES --

We did an orgy of 'em last month. (I'm thinking "orgy" would make a good collective noun for a bunch of rhapsodies.)

RACHMANINOFF: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43:
Introduction; Variation 1; Theme; Variations 2-6

Nikolai Lugansky, piano; City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo, cond. Warner Classics, recorded June 28-30, 2004

Now in case that went by too fast, here's the same chunk, from the orchestral introduction through Variation 6, with the eight elements. It's going to destroy the flow of the music, but you'll be able to hear each of the eight elements separately.

RACHMANINOFF: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43

Introduction; Variation 1; Theme; Variations 2-6

Arthur Rubinstein, piano; Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner, cond. RCA/BMG, recorded Jan. 16, 1956

Now, as I indicated, we're going to jump to:

Variation 18: Andante cantabile

Nikolai Lugansky, piano; City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo, cond. Warner Classics, recorded June 28-30, 2004

Arthur Rubinstein, piano; Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner, cond. RCA/BMG, recorded Jan. 16, 1956

And if you're wondering how it sounds as played by the composer:

Sergei Rachmaninoff, piano; Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski, cond. RCA/BMG/Naxos, recorded Dec. 24, 1934

In the hope that this glimpse at how Rachmaninoff imagined and constructed the Rhapsody has whetted your appetite to hear the whole thing, here it is. Variation 18 comes at about 13:22.

RACHMANINOFF: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43


Earl Wild, piano; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Jascha Horenstein, cond. Reader's Digest/Chesky, recorded May-June 1965


IN TOMORROW'S SUNDAY CLASSICS POST --

The complete Rachmaninoff Second Piano Concerto various ways, plus a video bonus: a remarkable performance of Rachmaninoff's delicious Second Suite for Two Pianos by Martha Argerich and Nelson Freire.


SUNDAY CLASSICS POSTS

The current list is here.

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