Search - S. Rachmaninoff, Kirov Orchestra, Gergiev :: Rachmaninov: Symphony 2

Should Rachmaninov be soothing?

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 04/26/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"There have been quite a few rip-snorting recordings of the luscious Rachmaninov Second, which has emerged from its former status as quasi-Hollywood reactionary indulgence to a new-found respect as Rachmaninov's greatest orchestral work. Like the music of Korngold, another arch-romantic who piled lush upon lush, Rachmaninov's seeks the fine balance between uninhibited passion and overripe kitsch. Gergiev skirts the whole problem, however, by giving us a soothing, refined reading at mostly slow speeds. In terms of orchestral exeecution nad recorded sound the results are excellent, but I think he's missed the spirit of this work. There are too many fine versions (Previn, Temirkanov, Fedoseyev, Stokowski, Bychkov) that throw caution to the wind to settle for this cautious traversal.



P.S. -- Like the oddball reviewer below who refers to himself as "we," I've heard Gergiev conduct this work in concert, and his approach has become much bolder. He's found the passion he missed almost fifteen years ago."

Youthful ardour coupled with a sagacious sense of structure

George Mott | NYC, NY, USA | 07/13/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've long been an admirer of Previn's recording of this symphony from the 70s. Gergiev, however, has an orchestra that sounds more grittily sensual than the LSO. Under Gergiev's direction they play with a very satisfying mix of romantic abandon and structural solidity. This is certainly my favorite recording of the piece, at least for the moment.



George Mott

NYC"