Classical Music for Aficionados

@jcazador     Oh jeremy you lucky lucky man having experienced Rachmaninov playing live. I would love to have been so fortunate but unfortunately he was already dead when I was born but I do consider myself very lucky that I have seen a lot of the other greats. I have a little nugget from Arrau about Rachmaninov that when Arrau was playing in concert one day he didn't know that Rachmaninov was in the audience and at the end of the recital Rachmaninov asked if he could taik to Arrau. Of course Arrau said yes and they struck up a conversation about the recital especially about Beethoven's 32 variations in C minor Arrau had just played. Rachmaninof told Arrau he had never heard of the piece and Arrau was cool to Rachmanonov after that. I thought Arrau a terrible snob after that , after all how could you not forgive a wonderous pianist, composer and conductor of not knowing a minor piece by Beethoven. I must say I did think a little less of Arrau after that, oh and another thing he said was that although Rachmaninov was a great pianist everything he played he turned into pure Rachmaninov ( I call that sour grapes ).

@jcazador jeremy do forgive a stupid old man for his glaring mistake. I thought it was you who had seen Rachmaninov and I didn’t realise it was a quote from Earl Wild. again many appologies. Jim.

I never heard Rachmaninov, I was 3 years old when he died.
I had a chance to hear Richter, I was in college just a hundred miles from Carnegie Hall.  My aunt was a perennial student at Julliard, she said tickets were impossible.
The only first rank pianist I have ever heard was Ashkenazy.

For a change from the 17C, I’ve started an Elgar survey. Kind of fascinating to go back and see what CDs I bought years and years ago, when I was guided primarily by the successive editions of the Penguin Stereo Guide and reviews in Gramophone (before it got dumbed down). Starting with Symphony #1. Surprised to find I own Handley, Judd and Marriner, rather than what I’d expected (i.e. Boult, Barbirolli or Solti).

@jcazador      Hi Jeremy I have seen Ashkenazy a few times and one of the best was a Beethoven cycle in Glasgow. He was with the SNO and within a fortnight he treated us to the five Beethoven Piano concertos and the Choral fantasy. How he remembered all those notes I will never know but it was incredibly enjoyable all the same. although not what I would say my favourite pianist i think he is a very ejoyable pianist and one of the best Beethoven interpreters that I know.