Rachmaninov-Etude-Tableaux

[Héctor]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYNiezr5vNI"]Rachmaninov-Etude-Tableaux[/ame] (Nelson Freire, 1965)

The Études-tableaux ("study pictures") are two sets of piano études composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff, arranged under opus numbers 33 and 39. These sets were supposed to be "picture pieces", essentailly "musical evocations of external visual stimulai". Rachmaninoff did not disclose what inspired each piece, stating, "I don't believe in the artist that discloses too much of his images. Let them paint for themselves what it most suggests." However, he willingly shared sources for a few of these etudes with Italian composer Ottorino Respighi when Respighi orchestrated them in 1930.

[Despina41]

Excellent thread! I love these.. I have the Ovchinikov recording, which is pretty darned good. Richter didn't record all of them, I think, but we do have some video footage here:


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X35re3DhY-U&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X35re3DhY-U&feature=related[/ame]
significantly quicker than the recording I have on CD.

This one is my favorite, actually. Listen to how it expands and contracts monstrously, almost schizophrenic - love it!!
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9qrmRjHvo0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9qrmRjHvo0[/ame]

These are all good too:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xr3qU2-O3A"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xr3qU2-O3A[/ame]

and of course, the Red Riding Hood:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNeugD9EIqg&feature=PlayList&p=B771E650050 BAEB5&playnext=1&index=13"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNeugD9EIqg&feature=PlayList&p=B771E650050 BAEB5&playnext=1&index=13[/ame]