New Classical Tracks: The Challenge of Rachmaninoff

I had forgotten how much I loved Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor until I popped this new CD in the player. Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto was an international sensation, establishing the composer's world-wide reputation. This performance of that work may help to do the same for the young Macedonian pianist on this new release. Simon Trpceski is making his concerto recording debut, joined by another rising star and frequent collaborator, 33-year-old Russian conductor Vasily Petrenko. Petrenko leads the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, where his contract has just been extended to 2015. On this recording the chemistry between conductor, orchestra and soloist is magical.

Pianist Simon Trpceski has won numerous international piano competitions, and he was awarded the Young Artist Award by the Royal Philharmonic Society in 2003. He made several recital recordings featuring other Russian composers, but for his first concerto CD he has taken on two of the most challenging concertos in the repertoire, Rachmaninoff's piano concertos No. 2 and No. 3.

After the disastrous premiere of Rachmaninoff's first symphony, the 24-year-old star pupil of the Moscow Conservatoire was devastated. Even though the failed symphony was not the composer's fault, but probably that of the intoxicated conductor, Alexander Glazunov, Rachmaninoff fell into a deep depression. For the next three years he composed almost nothing. A pioneering hypnotherapist guided Rachmaninoff back to piano. Within three months, Rachmaninoff had completed the last two movements of his second piano concerto. After testing out those two movements at a charity concert to wild applause, Rachmaninoff decided to finish the first movement. It's this movement which is most recognizable as Rachmaninoff's musical voice. This movement unfolds effortlessly, especially in the hands of Simon Trpceski, whose sparkling notes cascade in and around the lush sound of the orchestra as they build toward the powerful climax.

Rachmaninoff enjoyed playing accompaniments, and when he composed them himself, he made them interesting to play. In the second movement, which is in the key of E major far away from the original C minor key, the piano begins as accompanist to the flute, then at greater length to the clarinet. It sounds so simple, and yet so indescribably beautiful. The piano is captivating as it shyly works its way into the body of the piece. Later the orchestra and piano switch roles, as the full ensemble quietly interjects itself in between the phrases of the piano. This is where we hear the intimate relationship that's developed between this soloist and orchestra as they develop a unified singing sound.

Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor was written for his first North American tour in 1909. While most of Rachmaninoff's works for piano and orchestra have bold beginnings, this concerto starts very simply with a long, quiet melody. Rachmaninoff said this melody simply "wrote itself." He wanted it to flow from the piano the way a singer might sing it. Simon Trpceski introduces this melody very tenderly before the orchestra joins in to echo what they've just heard. Rachmaninoff wrote two cadenzas for this first movement. Trpceski chose the earlier, more ambitious version, which the composer himself shied away from later in life. This technical demanding work seems to be putty in the hands of Trpceski.

Rachmaninoff's personal style and international reputation was established with his second piano concerto. His third piano concerto was the work that launched his career into a new phase of stardom. As rising stars, pianist Simon Trpceski and conductor Vasily Petrenko chose wisely. They've performed these works together many times in concert, and now their recording of these triumphant concertos should help pave the way toward their international fame.

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