Rachmaninoff & Prokofiev:Concerti #3

This is a Van Cliburn CD from RCA Super Audio CD. Van Cliburn won the Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow and immediately back in the USA played in this concerto.

It took me several listenings until I appreciated these works closer to what I should have. The interpretation is flawless with seemless transitions. The interpretation of Rachmaninoff's main theme has quite a distinct touch. As the booklet describes about van Cliburn's magnetism with John Briggs words: "...I would simply say it is musical control coupled with spontaneous beauty." Nothing more clearly noted that in the first movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff's concert.

Rakhmaninov's (Сергей Васильевич Рахманинов, 1 April 1873 – 28 March 1943) concerto is full of layers. Instead of big orchestral chords and accents, I can compare it with the layers of watercolor paintings, where to paint on top one has to let the lower one dry to preserve transparency.

Prokofiev's (Сергей Сергеевич Прокофьев, as he was born under Russian Empire; or Сергі́й Сергі́йович Проко́ф'єв, because he was born on what is now Ukraїne; 27 April 1891 – 5 March 1953) concerto, on the other hand, is full of pictoresque themes and phrases. It is lively and, thankfully, still contains melodic emphasis, despite the period's trend.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Piano Concerto #3	Dm	Opus 30	Symphony of the Air, Kiril Kondrashin	Recorded Live in concert in 1958
Piano Concerto #3	C	Opus 26	Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Walter Hendl	Recorded in 1960

I only wanted to add that despite me having mastered the opening of the CD box, each time I face it, I have to find the trick again. And I think it is great!