Voice of Rachmaninoff (CD Review)

by Karl Nehring

Rachmaninoff: Morceaux de Fantasie, Op. 3 – No. 1 Elégie; 12 Romances, Op 21 No. 7 – Zdes Khorosho “How fair this spot”; 6 Songs, Op. 4 No. 4 – Ne poy krasavitsa prim ne “Oh never sing to me again”; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43 – Var. XVIII-Andante Cantabile; Sonata for Cello and Piano in G Minor, Op.19; Vocalise, Op 34 No. 14; “Preghiera” (Arranged by Fritz Kreisler and Shelbie Rassler from Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18, second movement). John-Henry Crawford, cello; Victor Santiago Asuncion, piano. Orchid Classics ORC100241

 

The last time we encountered the duo of cellist John-Henry Crawford and pianist Victor Santiago Asuncion, they were bringing us the music of Central America on a delightful album that we reviewed here. This time around they bring us the music of Rachmaninoff, who is perhaps mostly famed as a composer for the keyboard, especially for his piano concertos, but also for his orchestral works (Ryan Ross will soon be reviewing a new recording of some of his symphonies). The music of Rachmaninoff is loved for its beautiful melodies, and the cello is admired for its ability to convey melody with great expressiveness. As John-Henry Crawford explains in the CD booklet, “Rachmaninoff’s most revered as a pianist and  for his magnificent compositions for the instrument, but he also had a remarkable ability to sing through the soaring melodies one finds across his entire musical output… The mainstay of the program is the Sonata for Cello and Piano in G Minor, which is the only sonata Rachmaninoff wrote for any solo instrument other than piano. Rachmaninoff had a great affection for the cello, not surprisingly given its likeness to the human voice. The Sonata boasts one song after another in a vast work with a devilishly difficult piano part, on par with that of his piano concerti.”

The album opens, however, not with the Sonata, but with an arrangement for cello and piano of a piano suite that the composer completed in 1892 and then gave the first published copy to Tchaikovsky, who was apparently quite impressed. It is soulful, dramatic, tune that pulls at the heartstrings, with both piano and cello playing with fervent energy. Then come two songs, the brief (2:17) “How fair this spot” followed by “Oh never sing to me again.” Being songs, of course, both are highly melodic, with the melody given more to Crawford’s cello, Asuncion’s piano playing more of an accompanist’s role. However, his piano sings with a more prominent voice for the remainder of the program – this is music of Rachmaninoff, after all!

Next up is the tender Andante Cantabile variation from the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, perhaps one of Rachmaninoff’s most memorable musical moments. Even those who do not follow classical music have no doubt heard this music, perhaps from watching the telecast of an Olympic figure skating competition. Crawford and Ascuncion play it beautifully, but without adding extra schmaltz of their own.  We then come to the main even, the sonata that the composer wrote in 1901 after successfully recovering from the creative depression he had suffered in the wake of the unsuccessful debut of his Piano Concerto No. 1. That same year, he also completed his most popular work, the Piano Concerto No. 2. Perhaps it should come as no surprise, then, that a striking characteristic of the sonata is the prominence given to the piano. 

The opening is slow but dramatic, the piano playing expressively, soon joined by the cello with a truly singing quality. The second movement sounds more agitated, often emphasized by a galloping sound from the piano. The cello sounds calmer, but overall there is still a sense of motion. A lyrical interlude led by the cello is followed by a climax about four minutes in. The music then reverts to the agitated feeling of the opening, with the piano taking much of the lead and the cello singing along. As you might expect, the following third movement opens more softly and reflectively, the piano in the lead, the cello echoing same melody. Toward the end of this short movement, there is an intense passage with both instruments singing away, but then the intensity diminishes as the movement ends quietly, the last note on the cello lingering in the air. The fourth and final movement parallels the opening movement in its scope and intensity. Once again, the piano plays a prominent role while the cello plays lyrically and lovingly. The overall impression is that of a piano concerto for reduced forces: or perhaps it makes much better sense to simply to acknowledge it as a truly grand sonata for cello and piano. In any event, it is a beautifully dramatic composition that is played for all it is worth by these two remarkable musicians. 

Then comes the familiar Vocalise. As you might expect, Crawford’s cello sings the melody quite hauntingly; however, what you might not expect is how significant a contribution Asuncion’s piano makes in this arrangement. This in not just another facile run-through of a piece that can seem overly familiar. The program ends with a benediction, “Preghiera” (“Prayer”), an arrangement of yet another tenderly lyrical selection from one of Rachmaninoff’s works, this time from the second movement of his beloved Piano Concerto No. 2. Both Asuncion and Crawford play it for all it is worth, wringing every last bit of beauty and emotion out of this music. It is a performance that you just don’t want to end, but you know what they say of all good things… The CD booklet contains informative notes about both the music and the musicians. The  engineering is by the veteran Adam Abeshouse, a name that seems to pop up fairly often on fine-sounding recordings, of which this is a prime example. This is an excellent release in all respects.