Sergei Rachmaninov - Études-Tableaux (Nikolai Lugansky)

Information

Composer: Sergei Rachmaninov

• (01-08) Études-Tableaux, Op. 33
• (09-17) Études-Tableaux, Op. 39

Nikolai Lugansky, piano
Date: 1992
Label: Vanguard Classics 

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Review

Nikolai Lugansky makes a strong case for the Études-tableaux, not just as a pianist but also in his own booklet notes. There’s no question in my mind, though, that Rachmaninov’s inspiration burnt less brightly here than in his earlier Preludes, though oddly enough, the second set of Études-tableaux is stronger than the first. Lugansky has the lean athleticism of a big cat, and its cold ferocity when called upon, too. It’s a pity, though, that the recording, made in Moscow in 1992, isn’t quite all it should be. Tracks 1 and 4 (Op. 33/1 and 7, since the order is shuffled) expose its limitations – a slightly thin, hard sound, which places the piano at a chilly distance. Freddy Kempf’s recording of the Op. 39 set has more presence and warmth, but while Kempf is graceful and charming, he ignores the music’s darker qualities, and in the case of Op. 39/5, he hardly attempts the forceful passion which Lugansky captures so well. Lugansky also fathoms the bleaker moods of Op. 33/8 and Op. 39/2 while remaining flexible and relaxed. For a complete recording of both sets on one disc, this reissue is unbeatable.

-- Adrian Jack, BBC Music Magazine

More reviews:
https://www.gramophone.co.uk/feature/rachmaninovs-etudes-tableaux-op-39-which-recording-should-you-buy
https://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninov-Nikolai-Lugansky-Plays-%C3%89tudes-Tableaux/dp/B000UBMX7C

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Sergei Rachmaninov (1 April [O.S. 20 March] 1873 – 28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. He is widely considered as one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music. Some of his works are among the most popular in the romantic repertoire. His style is notable for its song-like melodicism, expressiveness and his use of rich orchestral colors. The piano is featured prominently in Rachmaninoff's compositional output, and through his own skills as a performer he explored the expressive possibilities of the instrument.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Rachmaninoff

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Nikolai Lugansky (born 26 April 1972 in Moscow) is a Russian pianist. He studied piano at the Moscow Central Music School and the Moscow Conservatory. His teachers included Tatiana Kestner, Tatiana Nikolayeva and Sergei Dorensky. During the 1980s and early 1990s, Lugansky won prizes at numerous piano competitions, most notably the Silver Medal at the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in 1994. He made recordings for labels such as Melodiya, Vanguard, Warner Classics, Erato, Pentatone, Onyx, DG, and Naïve. In 2018, Lugansky signed an exclusive recording contract with Harmonia Mundi.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Lugansky

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