Rachmaninov's Piano Trios
Rachmaninov's Piano Trios
The Gramophone Choice
Rachmaninov Trio élégiaque No 1 in G minor Tchaikovsky Piano Trio in A minor, Op 50
Vadim Repin vn Mischa Maisky vc Lang Lang pf
DG 477 8099GH (64’ · DDD) Buy from Amazon
Temperaments don’t come much bigger than Lang Lang, Repin and Maisky. But what impresses most of all about these performances is their single-mindedness. Nowhere is there even a suggestion of conflicting temperaments with their own agenda. What shines through here is the give and take, the kinship, of outstanding chamber music playing.
Of course, the great advantage of ‘celebrity’ partnerships such as this is the strength of the musical personalities. From out of the whispered oscillations (barely perceptible) at the start of the Rachmaninov come three distinct voices. And while a shared experience (and blend) is immediately apparent, there is also added intrigue in the way they each in turn personalise the melody. As it burgeons into something bigger and more voluble than the word appassionato can possibly convey, one is also reassured that none of these wonderful musicians thinks himself bigger than the music.
The Tchaikovsky successfully balances the intimate against the symphonic nature of the piece – and while it is quite clearly a Piano Trio, there is no sense in which Lang Lang is the dominant force. All three players display a palpable sense of empathy, as in knowing at any given moment what their leading or supporting role is. The theme and variations of the second movement display a fantastic range of character. Lang Lang, far from ‘taking centre stage’ at the outset, simply presents the unremarkable theme as if at all costs to preserve its folksy naivety – a nice touch.
But then come the transformations. There’s the tinkling ‘troika’ variation, the balletic salon waltz of Variation 6, the imperial splendour and big chordal opulence of No 7, or No 9 wistfully adorned with Lang Lang’s watery figurations. Repin is a perfect complement to Maisky’s soulful outpourings and collective virtuosity is certainly felt in the ‘finale and coda’, where the triumvirate really goes into overdrive – nimble, articulate, uplifting. The big return of the work’s opening lament has Lang Lang thrillingly invoking the B flat minor Piano Concerto while Repin and Maisky soar heavenward. Repin is quoted as saying that Lang Lang’s playing shines as though full of light – and that’s the overriding spirit here, even in darkness.
Additional Recommendation
Rachmaninov Trio élégiaque No 2, Op 9 Shostakovich Piano Trio No 2
Makhtin vn Kniazev vc Berezovsky pf
Warner Classics 2564 61937-2 (79’ · DDD) Buy from Amazon
This reading comes closer than most to concealing the work’s flaws. The opening movement is wonderfully realised. And the second couldn’t be more musically played. It’s a highly piano-centric work, but you never feel that Berezovsky is hogging the limelight, superbly matched as he is by his compatriots. By contrast, the finale, despite its portentous, Brahmsian opening, is over all too soon, as if Rachmaninov simply ran out of steam. The recording is warm and convincingly balanced, and complements the superb performances.
