‘A catalogue of revelations on how the Russian composer’s piano music should sound … one of the finest performances I’ve ever heard from the Scottish pianist—Osborne presented a textbook demonstration of clarity of thought and purpose … a philosophy which banished notions of Rachmaninov’s music as turgid, densely textured emotional upheaval in sonic form. This was so clear it had a rare purity, wholly refreshing the music in all its parts’ (The Glasgow Herald) ‘Textures that on the page look impossibly convoluted emerged wonderously clear, fluent and beauteous’ (Financial Times)Steven Osborne’s live performances of Rachmaninov’s preludes were greeted ecstatically by critics and audience alike: a new benchmark for performances of these works, and a new departure for this most subtle and sensitive of pianists. Now Steven has committed the complete cycle to disc—a surprisingly rare recording venture in itself. His matchless musicianship has rarely been so blazingly evident as it is here. Also apparent is his deeply individual relationship with the repertoire. This is a disc to treasure.Steven Osborne writes … ; Recently as I was exploring a book shop I saw the banner ‘Tragic Life Stories’ over an entire wall of books. I laughed, but I could have cried, and not in the way the authors presumably hoped. What a bizarre phenomenon this is, the sudden emergence of a genre of writing which apparently delights in describing personal misery at its most heart-breaking. Why do I mention this? Well, I adore Rachmaninov’s music—there are few composers who speak to me more directly. Yet I know a number of musicians, including some whose opinion I greatly respect, who think his music shallow, even cheap. I have a suspicion that for some of them, this music is a bit like one of these stories—not so much emotionally explicit as manipulative, calculated to draw the maximum sympathy from a credulous audience. (At least, this is what appears to underlie the famous entry in the 1954 Grove Dictionary which laments Rachmaninov’s ‘artifical and gushing tunes’.) It may be a tempting response to a composer whose music fits seamlessly into the classic film Brief Encounter, but the charge doesn’t really stand up to scrutiny: listening to Rachmaninov’s piano-playing, one hears a clarity and emotional discretion which is the antithesis of such sensationalism.I cannot dismiss all ‘Rachmaninophobes’ so easily, and there is an issue here which interests me: what does it mean for music to have depth? Compare Rachmaninov’s music to Schubert’s, and it seems to me clear that the latter contains much greater complexity of emotion. Schubert’s later works in particular blend innocence, violence, sublime playfulness, humility, dread, and innumerable other emotions in the most potent fashion; as a result, there are very many ways of understanding his music, depending on how one balances these conflicting elements. With Rachmaninov there is one element which dominates: a sense of melancholy to which his music returns again and again. Correspondingly, there is less ambiguity to the music. Does this make it less deep, less meaningful? I think the better response is to say it is less complex, because Rachmaninov expresses more profoundly than almost anyone else what it means to feel hopeless, to long for what is unattainable; the depth of feeling is, to me at least, unquestionable. This helps me make sense of the antipathy some have towards Rachmaninov’s music. The more ambiguous a piece of music is, the more likely we will find personal meaning in it. If, however, we are directly confronted with a rather depressive musical world, it is understandable that some will find that threatening, self-indulgent, or else simply uninteresting.I am of course overstating the case to make my point. Rachmaninov’s music can contain a wonderful variety of mood, as these preludes clearly show. Still, it is worth asking how many pieces here reflect a truly positive, outgoing frame of mind. Even the most sunny and ebullient—those in the major keys of B flat, C, E and A flat—have their moments of inwardness, the last three of these ending with a kind of retreat into privacy. I think this is a telling instinct in music which is otherwise so open, suggesting that the pull of introversion was difficult for Rachmaninov to overcome.‘Tragic Life Stories’ notwithstanding, it is possible to write an account of a difficult life which transcends details of abuse or neglect (as Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes triumphantly shows). I think there is a real sense in which Rachmaninov’s music tells us such a story. It may be dominated by the pain and sadness of his life but it expresses much else besides, and when we reach the astonishing climax of the final prelude, I find it impossible not to be deeply moved that a man like Rachmaninov was capable of creating such a rich and life-affirming gesture.INTERNATIONAL RECORD REVIEW 'OUTSTANDING' AWARD; BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE INSTRUMENTAL CHOICE; GRAMOPHONE EDITOR'S CHOICE; THE TIMES CLASSICAL CD OF THE WEEK; THE SUNDAY TIMES CD OF THE WEEK ; DAILY TELEGRAPH CD OF THE WEEK ; MUSICAL OPINION RECORD O F THE MONTH'Outstanding Rachmaninov playing of acute perception, discretion and poetic sensibility, limpid, powerful and luminous in equal measure' (BBC Music Magazine)'There are few pianists who offer such range and depth of palette: not even Ashkenazy's seminal reading … This has award-winner written all over it' (Gramophone)'Extremely impressive all round … Osborne lavishes a remarkable level of authority on every one of these masterworks, playing with a rare combination of technical ease, tonal lustre and idiomatic identification. He also has the undeniable advantage of a magnificent Steinway instrument with a rich, opulent sonority and great solidity in its bass register … In summary, Osborne goes from strength to strength as he moves through the cycle, wrapping up the final page of the concluding D flat prelude in a blaze of glory … For a truly spellbinding modern account, Osborne now holds the winning ticket' (International Record Review)'Osborne is perhaps the most convincing since Vladimir Ashkenazy … His dazzling technique illuminates the virtuosic allegro and allegretto sections, and his playing has a Rachmaninovian pliancy and beautifully achieved rubato in lyrical passages. One of the piano discs of the year' (The Sunday Times) 'This sensational pianist … brings his technical wizardry and, above all, his penetrating musical intelligence to these much-recorded works of Rachmaninov… In his combination of modesty, inner fire and natural virtuosity he brings to mind that other Rachmaninov master, Ashkenazy' (The Observer)'The brilliant Scottish pianist Steven Osborne is unafraid of challenges … He scales the 24 preludes of the great Sergei, and does so with passion and authority … Osborne flies free without ever rampaging. Sorrow and sunlight, death and life, all Rachmaninov is here, in three dimensions, luscious colour and widescreen. A most exciting release' (The Times)'This is an absolutely superb disc, one of the very finest integral sets of these works I have ever heard. Osborne's playing is magnificent throughout … This issue simply has to go to the top of the recommended list' (Musical Opinion)'This astonishingly good full set recording … Osborne's musicality is exquisite, addictive and sensational. This is a disc you'll want to listen to over and over again' (The Scotsman)
- Wykonawca Osborne Steven
- Data premiery 2010-07-01
- Nośnik CD
