Pletnev's Hommage a Rachmaninov

[pizza]

Every once in a while a collector finds a gem that he thought would be a gimmick. A few years ago DG issued a CD titled "Hommage a Rachmaninov". Mikhail Pletnev played works by Rachmaninov, Beethoven, Chopin and Mendelssohn on Rachmaninov's own pre-war Steinway. It turned up in a cut-out bin and I wanted to hear the piano more than the pieces themselves. The piano's rich, deep bass and midrange sound is simply magnificent, although a little thin in the high treble, and Pletnev, always a thoughtful and innovative pianist completely outdid himself.

His rendition of the Corelli Variations has to be heard to be believed. He took a relatively simple piece and turned it into a romantic tour de force that has no precedent. It makes every other performance of this piece that I've heard pale by comparison. His 4 Etudes Tableaux Op. 33, Nos. 6. 8 & 9, and Op. 39, No. 5 are equalled only by Richter. The Beethoven Les Adieux Sonata is beautifully played and the Mendelssohn miniatures are spontaneous and delightful. The Chopin Grande Polonaise Op. 22 is absolutely riveting.

Pianophiles shouldn't hesitate for a moment. Rachmaninov would have been proud.

[daycart]

I love Pletnev's playing. I'll be watching for this one. THanks.

[Lance]

I was surprised to learn you found this DG recording in a cut-out bin. When I first heard of it coming forth, I could hardly wait to get my hands on this recording using the piano of Rachmaninoff. I have very much enjoyed it since its release, but like you, found the piano deficient in some of its sonority. I also found it necessary to acquire Leif Oves Andsnes's recording of Grieg's music, also performed in Grieg's own Steinway [EMI 57296]. I believe both recordings were made on the premises where these composers lived and worked. Consequently, recording properties are limited by the acoustics of rooms where the pianos reside, and unless these recordings were "enhances" by sound effects, we have the opportunity the musically "breathe" the same air these composers heard their own compositions. There have been recordings issued of music performed on Wagner's piano (another Steinway).

I also believe these pianos have been refurbished, equipping them with new hammers and action parts, removing the cast iron plates and reinstalling new tuning pin-blocks, and maybe even shimming cracked soundboards, or replacing the soundboard entirely. New hammers, and particularly new soundboards, of course, would give the instruments a different voice (sometimes producing entirely different sound characteristics) than when originally manufactured. More often than not, one will hear a rather dull, non-singing quality in remanufactured pianos, or it runs to the opposite side and we hear a stridency that is unpleasing to the ear no matter how much "voicing" has been employed. Hammer felt, over the years, has also changed. The pianos of Paderewski had a singing, lush tone without the use of artificial hammer hardeners, but as the years went on, the requirement from artists was to have a bigger and more pronounced tone - enough to fill a hall like Carnegie right to the last row.

Anyway, I got off on a tangent here, but hope you find it interesting.

[pizza]

Lance:

I'm not surprised at what I find in cut-out bins these days. Apparently DG suffers from cut-out-itis, as do most of the majors. There was even a copy of "Pletnev Live at Carnegie Hall", the 2 CD release by DG of his debut there. These CDs are no more than 5 to 7 years old and the playing is superb on both. I suppose the intelligent rule of thumb should be that if you see it and it's worth getting, snap it up while it's available.

Thanks for the short run-down on piano restoration. The notes in the Pletnev/Rachmaninov CD state only that the piano was reconditioned to bring it to its original state, but doesn't go into any detail whatsoever concerning what was actually done or by whom the work was performed. I don't think there are too many people around who can confirm the accuracy of the liner notes in that regard.