Rachmaninoff Etudes-Tableaux and Works for Cello and Piano

Composer/pianist/conductor Sergei Rachmaninoff was just that, a triple threat as a musician: An unbelievably virtuoso pianist; a heart-wrenchingly romantic composer; and a gifted conductor. In a recent Bridge release (Bridge 9347, to buy now http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=736392&source=VENEZ) we hear Rachmaninoff as composer with all the music for cello and piano as well as one of his more finger-bending piano compositions. I have to admit the my only contact with cellist Steven Doane and pianist Barry Snyder have been through Bridge records (more about their recordings later) but here are two very, very gifted musicians who happen to converse extremely well in the intimate world of chamber music. 

First, in this beautiful release we have all the works Rachmaninoff wrote exclusively for cello and piano. I mention this because there are two additional works in the Rachmaninoff catalog that call for cello and piano: The Melody on a Theme by S. Rachmaninoff from 1890 for violin OR cello and piano; and the Prelude from the Op. 2 Two Pieces, the Prelude being a reworking of another Rachmaninoff composition for cello and piano, probably for his cellist friend Anatoly Brandukov. The Danse Orientale and the Lied, both short works which bookend the cd, are exquisite miniatures, both from the 1890's. Doane and Snyder give both compositions well thought out interpretations with the utmost care to bring out their beautifully romantic melody lines.

The first major composition on the disc is the only sonata for Cello and Piano that Rachmaninoff wrote. This composition, which dates from 1901, gives us the Rachmaninoff that we're more familiar with, the Rachmaninoff of the Piano Concerto No. 2 (written in 1900). In fact, there are some passages that will sound similar to the second, but other passages that will sound very Brahmsian. And being a pianist/composer, having with a piano part written for himself, pianist Snyder converses with cellist Doane in a way which never overpowers the cello but keeps the conversation always flowing. We have some truly wonderful chamber music being made here!

The final work on the cd is for piano alone, the nine Etudes-Tableaux which make up Rachmaninoff's Op. 39. Dating from 1916-1917, these Tableaux had their first performance in February of 1917 in St. Petersburg (or Petrograd, as the city was renamed after the Russian Revolution) and was the last Rachmaninoff public premiere on his native Russian soil before leaving forever in December. Highly complex technically and rhythmically, Barry Snyder gives us all nine in one take, which is an extraordinay feat in itself for these monster Etudes! Whether its the allegro of the third or the slow and quite second Etude, or any of the other seven, these are just marvels to listen to as you admire the prowess of Barry Snyder.

As mentioned earlier, Steven Doane and Barry Snyder have collaborated on other recordings for Bridge Records: Gabriel Faure, the Complete Works for Cello and Piano (Bridge 9038. To buy now http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=24298&source=VENEZ); and Frank Bridge's Sonata, Spring Song, Melodie, and Scherzo, with Benjamin Britten's Sonata in C, Op. 65 (Bridge 9056. To buy now http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=28625&source=VENEZ). The Faure cd was cited in the French journal Repertoire, which was one of several awards the Faure garnered for Steven Doane and Barry Snyder.

The Engineer on this recording was David Dussman with Adam Abeshouse Mastering Engineer. The Producer was David Starobin with Becky Starobin Executive Producer, and the performance space was the Eastman Theatre. Warm and wonderful sound, crisp and very clean. This is a joy to have in my library and will be one in yours as well.

Donald Venezia