Customer Reviews

Van Cliburn in Moscow - Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 / Rachmaninoff: Paganini Rhapsody

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I would have to say that this work fits in with a fine collection of Van Cliburn's performances in Russia. Van Cliburn was one of the first to aquaint American listeners with the enormous talent of the legendary Kirill Kondrashin. It was in this recording that I became aquainted with Kirill Kondrashin and his Moscow Symphony Orchestra. An orchestra rebuilt from the ground up by Kondrashin. For this task Kondrashin was given the highest artistic award he could have been given by his government. A powerful performance of this orchestral feat is well displayed in this CD. Van Cliburn shows in this performance his ability to express the emotional and technically precise contents of these great romantic pieces. The Brahms Concerto No. 2 was recorded before a live audience and yet the piece probably could have not come off better.

Van Cliburn performances are either unique or quasi intrascendental.

In the former group we have the well known Tchaikovsky's 1st Piano Concerto and Rachmaninov's Paganini Rhapsody. A 5 stars rating for these ones.

In this specific recording he, alongside with Kondrashin, achieve an aural matching, choosing a tempo that is not only right, but also let the listener flow within the music played and gives us the time to enjoy our voyage into magnificence.

Compared to other excellent interpretations of the same work as Rubinstein/Reiner (remastered for Rubinstein's edition), Rachmaninov/Stokowsky and Ashkenazy/Haitink, in that order, this one stands alone in the top. The balance between the piano and the orchestra is well and elegantly achieved while the others tends to eclipse one another in some passages and in different degree.

Van Cliburn's playing is commanding whenever it needs to but also letting the orchestra to sound its share and detail and in retribution giving back the grace when the piano playing demands softness, liquidity and delicacy and whoelse, besides Van Cliburn, achieve this... The nearest competitor is Rubinstein, but he often surrenders the soul to his virtuosistic character. Rachmaninov himself is a great virtuoso but put every gram of soul in the soft passages while Ashkenazy seems to be outperformed by the orchestra no matter how hard he strikes the keyboard, he is barerly audible when fully orchestrated fortissimos are present.

On the other hand, and after have listened to Richter, Gilels, Arrau, Zimmerman or Ashkenazy on Brahms' 2nd Piano Concerto, Van Cliburn could barerly be included in the list; nevertheless, the live performance of this work, again with Kondrashin at the podium, is a nice filling as it is celebrated in Moscow at the time of the cold war. A 3 stars rating for this one (average 4 stars)

Van Cliburn was undeniably a unique artist, who made many excellent recordings in the late 50's - early 60's. He then suffered what appears to be a nervous breakdown and pretty much lost his capacity to make worthwhile music. This 1972 recording falls into the later category. For the Brahms look to Fleisher/Szell, Gilels/Reiner, Richter/Leinsdorf, Serkin/Szell, Anda/Klemperer or a handful of others depending on your taste. For the Rhapsody look to Rubinstein/Reiner, Wild/Horenstein or Katchen/Boult. All of these are head and shoulders above this recording by Cliburn. For a good example of Cliburn at his peak, try the disc containing Tchaikovsky No.1 and Rachmaninov No.2 with Kondrashin and Reiner on RCA Living Stereo.

I think Van Cliburn and the Moscow Philharmonic orchestra do a fine job with the Rachmaninoff. Cliburn is a great interpreter of Rachmaninoff, and it shows here.

As for the Brahms, it is an amazing performance, especially given that it is live.

I give this 2 stars because it's not completely worthless, not completely devoid of musical appeal. But let us be frank, any piano performance graduate could play in same fashion, and many would do this better.
There is very little "music" I hear in this recording, but much brash, ponderous and near methodical banging. Everything is heavy and slow, nothing is sparkling or melodic. This is not a good interpretation of either piece - both requiring long sustained melodic lines. His playing might have been better suited to Prokovief...

Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody has to be one of my personal top ten favorite musical works, but I can't bear to listen to this recording of it. Cliburn plays like he has a 16-pound sledgehammer in each hand. I forced myself to listen to it a second time, thinking something must have thrown off my judgement, but Cliburn's playing actually made me wince. Several times. Kondrashin and the Moscow Philharmonic turn in a very martial-like accompanyment, presumably to justify their esteemed guest's interpretation, but it's still all a dreadful experience.

Nothing can justify Cliburn's similar approach to the Brahms. Or make me want to hear it again, for that matter.

Cliburn's Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini,,, It's unpleasant. I also love his Piano Concert No.1 of Tchaikovsky and No.3 of Rachmaninov. But,,, In this Live, Cliburn seemd to maintain melodies. But, therefore, he lose further his music. And now he had mere time what he was compeld to-. It is the same for us--lisners. Kirill Kondrashin--He has a positive talent for orchestral accompaniment surely. But he has no way to assist for Cliburn. Cliburen's clumsist piano lose his balance. He barely matched with lowest speed of Kondrashin's orchestra. I couldn't listen this music until the last.The reason why I can't bear his pitiful playing. But,,, Brahms is a little good.