Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3, Scriabin Etudes

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Recorded during live concert performances, Lang Lang's second Telarc release justifies all the positive buzz surrounding this young pianist's rapidly ascending international career. He brings plenty of finger power and long-lined drama to Rachmaninov's ubiquitous Third Concerto, yet takes plenty of time to let the lyrical, soaring tunes spin without an inkling of self-indulgence. He admirably adjusts the piano part to accompany when he doesn't bear the melodic burden, and he gets more expressive mileage from transitions than many pianists do. For once, the thicker, more difficult first movement cadenza doesn't sound unwieldy and elephantine. The piano is a little too prominent in the mix next to Temirkanov's sensitively detailed, flowing orchestral support. While Lang Lang has not fully internalized the quivering underbelly of Scriabin's passionate keyboard writing, his poised and secure readings of 10 Etudes still boast plenty of dynamism, idiomatic nuance, and roaring, Horowitz-like octaves. Watch this pianist! --Jed Distler

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3, Scriabin Etudes, Music, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Alexander Scriabin, Lang Lang, Yuri Temirkanov, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Concerto, Etude for Keyboard, Keyboard, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous Music, Piano Concerto

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3, Scriabin Etudes
Average customer rating:

First class

Lang Lang - A stylish Virtuoso...or is he?

TERRIBLE sound quality

Oh dear

Waste of lunch money...

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3, Scriabin Etudes
Sergei Rachmaninoff , Alexander Scriabin , Yuri Temirkanov , and St. Petersburg Philharmonic
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Memory [Includes Bonus CD]

ASIN: B00006419G
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Lanto
II. Intermezzo: Adagio
III. Finale: Alia Breve
Encore: Liu Yang River
Etude Op. 2, No. 1 In C-sharp Minor
Etude Op. 8, No. 2 In F-sharp Minor
Etude Op. 8, No. 3 In B Minor
Etude Op. 8, No. 8 In A-flat Major
Etude Op. 8, No. 10 In D-flat Major
Etude Op. 8, No. 11 In B-flat Minor
Etude Op. 8, No. 12 In D-sharp Minor
Etude Op. 42, No. 4 In F-sharp Major
Etude Op. 42, No. 3 In F-sharp Major
Etude Op. 65, No. 3 In G Major

Amazon.com

Recorded during live concert performances, Lang Lang's second Telarc release justifies all the positive buzz surrounding this young pianist's rapidly ascending international career. He brings plenty of finger power and long-lined drama to Rachmaninov's ubiquitous Third Concerto, yet takes plenty of time to let the lyrical, soaring tunes spin without an inkling of self-indulgence. He admirably adjusts the piano part to accompany when he doesn't bear the melodic burden, and he gets more expressive mileage from transitions than many pianists do. For once, the thicker, more difficult first movement cadenza doesn't sound unwieldy and elephantine. The piano is a little too prominent in the mix next to Temirkanov's sensitively detailed, flowing orchestral support. While Lang Lang has not fully internalized the quivering underbelly of Scriabin's passionate keyboard writing, his poised and secure readings of 10 Etudes still boast plenty of dynamism, idiomatic nuance, and roaring, Horowitz-like octaves. Watch this pianist! --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

First class.......2007-05-17

I can't understand the bad opinions about this extraordinary pianist and this pleasant CD. Even after so many versions of Rachmaninoff Third Piano Concert Lang Lang give us a new one, fresh and powerful. Scriabin Etudes also sound clean, passionate, great! The only strange thing is the audience laughing when the artist announces a chinese song as encore.

Lang Lang - A stylish Virtuoso...or is he?.......2006-03-03

My opinion of Lang Lang is very complicated. He is a young virtuoso with impeccable clarity and technique. I have seen him live, and he performs very clearly and with refined pianism. His playing is clean and accurate, no question about it. However, the problem lies with Lang Lang's interpretation. He isn't mature enough to interpret music correctly. Many people know this and criticize him for it, and revere Yundi Li as an alternative. Lang Lang lacks the musical experience and maturity to properly interpret certain styles, and I hope he doesn't try to interpret late Beethoven or the Liszt sonata. That said, however, his interpretations of Russian music are much more fitting. Typically Russian music is more free-spirited and flamboyant than its German counterpart. While his Rachmaninoff is decently-interpreted, his Scriabin is worth mentioning.

Lang Lang interprets Scriabin like no other. There are good and bad things to this. He is so unsure of himself musically that his Scriabin etudes are mere guesswork. Compare his recordings to the great Scriabin legends of Sofronitsky, Horowitz, and even Kissin. Case in point, his uncertainty actually leads him to play Scriabin in a very unique and interesting style. He plays it schizophrenically, which may be appropriate - Scriabin, though brilliant, was crazy (hypochondria and synaesthesia being the smallest examples). Lang Lang's "guesswork" actually works out in these etudes, because they are young, showy pieces, so the schizophrenic, unsure interpretation works out nicely for him. However I think Lang Lang would poorly interpret late Scriabin as it is very mature and atonal.

If you are looking to purchase this CD, let me give you a good summary. The Rach Concerto 3 is well done, clean and accurate, but nothing spectacular: don't expect a 1951 Horowitz recording here, just a clean and accurate recording. The Scriabin etudes are fascinating to listen to and showcase a very interesting interpretation that surpringly works (his Op. 8/3 and 65/3 are unparalleled in my opinion).

Unlike a few others, I have no problems with sound quality. The sound is crystal clear, what I would expect from a modern recording like this. Good luck in your purchasing endeavours!

TERRIBLE sound quality.......2005-10-24

I love Lang Lang and bought this CD specifically for that reason -- but I was very disappointed at the sound quality. Usually Telarc has great recordings, but this one was the worst I have ever heard. I was not able to finish listening to it.

What an awful way to showcase a major young talent.

Oh dear.......2005-01-27

Unfortunately, the technical engineering of the live recording in Albert Hall is of such poor quality that it compares with recordings of 30-40 years ago. Despite Mr. Lang's artistry and that of Temirkanov and the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, I am gravely disappointed by this purchase. By comparison with the Carnegie Hall concert and Deutsche Gramaphon's technical expertise, this really rates no stars at all.

Waste of lunch money..........2005-01-24

Maybe its just me but the piano is out of tune badly enough that it should not have been recorded. I had to force myself to finish listening to the concerto and did not even bother with the rest. Sad piece of work.

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3, Scriabin Etudes [SACD]

Average customer rating:

What is all the hubbub about?
Buy it for the Scriabin

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3, Scriabin Etudes [SACD]
Lang Lang , Sergei Rachmaninoff , Alexander Scriabin , Yuri Temirkanov , and St. Petersburg Philharmonic
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000060OMS
Release Date: 2002-02-26

Customer Reviews:

What is all the hubbub about?.......2005-10-15

I actually do not understand what all the fuss is about with Lang Lang. I got cought up in it and decided to finally go and buy a recording of his and listen to it to make up my own mind. I was disappointed.
You see, Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto is a colossus of a concerto, it is as terrifying as it is impressive. I have many recordings of it (Martha Argerich, Vladimir Horowitz and one more on a blank cassette which has no artist name on it), and every time I listen to them, I tremble when I hear the first movement ossia cadenza (though out of the above only the unknown artist does it). This unknown pianist plays it visciously, relentlessly, and I feel I can hardly breathe under this assault of music.
Not so with Lang Lang. He overdoes the rubato abysmally, he starts it off as slowly as I would if I were practicing it. It sounds as if it was drunk. I though he would pick up some speed, that this was only a majestic emotional elongated opening to it (a big long sigh), but he didn't and it wasn't. Ditto for the third movement.
I felt slightly silly for having given in to public opinion and having spent 170 Swedish crowns on this CD. I'd give it away the the drunk at the bus stop if he asked for it.
I give it 2 stars nonetheless, simply because anyone who can play that concerto (at whatever speed) without cocking it up deserves some credit.
Sorry to dispel all the popular illusions....

Buy it for the Scriabin.......2003-01-15

If you purchase this recording do it for the Scriabin Etudes not for the Rachmaninoff. There are much finer recordings of this wonderful concerto available today. My disappointment with this recording had more to do with the sound of the orchestra (or more to the lack of sound) than with Lang Lang's performance. This fine young artist performed this dazzling showpiece for piano and orchestra brilliantly. What was missing was the orchestra. The St. Petersburg Philharmonic sounded like they were playing off stage, far, far away. Rachmaninoff's brilliant and exciting orchestration is almost absent on this recording. The orchestral sound was muted, fuzzy and lacked "presence". I kept reaching for the volume control on my new B&K pre.amp. to boost up the volume throughout the performance. This was particularly annoying in the first movement. The wonderful woodwind "adornments" in the coda of the exciting third movement just could not be heard well. This, as well as other important orchestral parts that were either inaudible or just missing on this recording was a major distraction to Lang Lang's wonderful performance. It was impossible to hear if the orchestra was "cutting it" or up to par with Lang Lang's virtuosity. This could be due to where and how it was recorded--Live at The Royal Albert Hall in London. Even so the wonderful technology of the SACD could not save it. If you're looking for an exciting performance of the Rachamaninoff No.3--in my opinion, Horacio Gutierrez and Lorin Maazel with the Pittsburgh Symphony on Telarc is one of the best of the "newer" recordings around. But, to me the best of the best is still the 1978 live performance by Horowitz with Eugene Ormandy and the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall.

Lang Lang's Scriabin is worth having--It is a studio recording--Very fine.

Music Review: