Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Rachmaninoff: Sonata No. 2, Op. 36 (original 1913 version)

Here is one of the best recordings I have come across of the original 1913 version of the sonata (without any changes or alterations) by Canadian pianist, Todd Yaniw:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziaavNgY7Ow

What really impresses me with this performance is how I never get the feeling the pianist plays for just speed and brilliance in the difficult passages as he lets the music speaks for itself. Many pianists tend to rush these passages which takes a lot away from the details in the score.

The slow movement is imbued with sincere reflection and great depth of expression and he has what it takes to pull off the final movement without pushing things for sheer speed in the playing. No flashy mannerisms or pyrotechnics are displayed which makes it a refreshing performance.

He also follows the original 1913 score, precisely.

Bravissimo!

Hi Pv88,

Thanks for sharing it!

It was a tremendous performance. Thanks!

I think Rachmaninov was wrong to change his first version, but was very right in letting it be in print after his second version, I don't like the so called 'Horowitz-version', esp. by mr. H. himself, I prefer the 1913 version and mr. Yaniw does a very good job!

That is awesome playing!

Gawd, I just wish I liked the piece better. With every listening (and there have been many over my years), this piece just says less and less to me. Typical with Rachmaninov, it is easy to trace his thematic process (unlike Mahler he didn't intend it to be mysterious), but it so hard to get away from the Emperor's Clothes syndrome.

All the usual complicated Rachmaninov technical tricks are there, but does he really have anything important to say? As Charles Rosen wrote in another context, 'the creation of awe through bombast'.

I know I am the odd man out, I am just not impressed with empty rhetoric.

And of course Jason has to seize every opportunity to repeat the same load of drivel about this piece that Pianoworld has heard over and over and over. This isn't even about the content - it's just the mindless repetition. We get it already. I'd be just as annoyed if I agreed with it (case in point: Louis Podesta, whom I agree with on most everything but still drives me up the wall).

I stand by my comment.

You know as well as I do that the Bb minor Sonata is NOT one of Rachmaninov's greater works, and as a composer yourself, I suspect you would understand that.

You may stand by this particular comment, but do you stand by all the identical comments you have made over and over every time this piece comes up?

Again, you're missing the point. This is not about the content of the comment at all.

I, for one, had never heard him say anything about this work yet. It was very interesting and I share his sentiment.

Maybe you just spend too much of your time here.

Just because you haven't heard it doesn't mean it hasn't happened. He's repeated the same rhetoric about this piece every time it comes up.

Glad to hear you like the performance although I happen to hear a lot more going on in the score beyond it being a merely flashy or empty show piece. There appears to be plenty of heartfelt Russian feeling and sorrow, especially in the 1st and 2nd movements. Yes, the 3rd movement is more virtuosic but still has an underlying tone of sadness throughout (in the 2nd theme) although everything is victorious and triumphant in the end.

The emotional impact for the listener can be quite significant in the 1913 version of the score.

I heard Todd perform this piece live, and it was really an incredible experience. Good to see him getting more recognition.

Just ran across your post. No, not everyone thinks it a profound masterpiece. Even the composer had his doubts, and I am inclined to agree that the 1931 revision is about the best case to be made for a work which seems awfully consumed with virtuosity for its own sake.


That has been commented on before. Just ignore him.