Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto: The Ossia Cadenza

10.30.2005

My third recording of the Ossia Cadenza from Rachmaninoff's 3rd piano concerto in D minor. Its several parsecs beyond my first take. And, its light years beyond my second take. Still -- not perfect. However, I am officially no longer embarrassed that google puts me at the top of searches for Rachmaninoff's 3rd concerto. Not that I'm saying I'm more deserving than Ashkenazy, Horowitz, Argerich, Kissen, Van Cliburn, ect... However, since I played it, I won't get sued for putting it up. And isn't that what's really important?

Ossia Cadenza from Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto [Listen in MP3]

Performed by Nick Lewis

Classicial Piano

Nick Lewis's blog

Comments

Tue, 2007-05-22 01:40 — a passing drifter (not verified)

> chopin is the best piano

> chopin is the best piano composter

I thought Lang Lang was better at turning music into manure?...oh I see you meant composer...my bad...

Sun, 2007-02-18 15:35 — Joseph O'Reilly (not verified)

Piano Technique

If anyone wants to know the truth about piano technique and how to acquire it, just go to www.thefundamentalaction.com and follow the instructions. Thanks and good luck.

Tue, 2007-02-20 00:16 — Nick Lewis

This is great information --

This is great information -- information that is easy to forget if you aren't studying piano with any structure or guidence. Thanks for dropping the link!

Sat, 2007-01-27 23:31 — useknutahlava (not verified)

I would strongly recommend

I would strongly recommend that you do not use the equalizer when recording any audio. Otherwise the recording will sound very unnaturally.

Tue, 2007-01-23 01:54 — HAHA (not verified)

Correct me if i am

Correct me if i am wrong.....but i don't think the picture above is from the Ossia cadenza.

Tue, 2007-01-02 17:41 — Ludwig von Stadt (not verified)

piano

chopin is the best piano composter, bud Lisz is better then chopin. And that is amazing!
I'm an composter too bud not so good as chopin or liszt. Bud this is great!

Sonater no. 17 is beatyfull from beethoven

and revolutionary etude from chopin

or the 5th Symphony from beethoven

the music is so beatyfull

Tue, 2007-01-02 16:45 — Rach-lover (not verified)

cadenza by Watts

This is a question to Mr Lewis. Have you ever heard Andre Watts version of the cadenza? in fact his version of the whole concerto is rather interesting. Anyway ... he kind of mixes the two cadenzas together ... sounds special... but it works! Then in the far end he plays instead of thirds ... fourths... as given in ossia at that part... wonder why almost no one does that... ?

/Johan, Sweden

Thu, 2007-01-04 00:44 — Nick Lewis

I have heard Watt's version.

I have heard Watt's version. Watts was attempting to counter two strong criticisms of the ossia:

1. A certain group of musicians (including Watts) think that the measures just before Watt's switches to the Ossia cadenza is "musically impossible" which is to say while its possible to play correctly, its impossible to play "musically". Personally, I have no idea what they are talking about.

2. The opening of the Ossia cadenza is based on a theme that would otherwise not be introduced until the 3rd movement's coda. Certain sonata-form purists cannot bear the far reaching, titanic, implications of a prematurely introduced coda, and thus argue that the standard cadenza is the only proper choice. They make this claim regardless of the blantent aesthetic and structural superiority of the Ossia's Choral recapulation of the 1st movement theme. As with the first criticism, I have no idea what grounds they have for that conclusion. If you ask me, I'd say they are playing that "I am more refined and proper than thou" game that lots of Classical musicians like to play. As usual, this game leads to favoring the anti-climatic -- which is how I'd describe the standard cadenza.

So while I enjoy Watt's recording, I disagree with his reasons for playing a hybrid of the two.

That said, I'd have no disagreement with his choice if he just argued "I think the cadenza sounds prettier this way." After all, there is a long tradition of great pianists writing their very own cadenzas to piano concertos. Not to mention, improvistation was a virtue to the school of Pianists that Rachmaninoff was a part.

Thu, 2007-01-25 02:28 — a passing drifter (not verified)

I couldn't agree with you

I couldn't agree with you more. I have no problem with the shorter cadenza, but the ossai one is just simply more explosive and climactic. It doesn't "end the piece to early", it makes a giant climax--especially since the shorter candenza is a variation on the same material in the ossai one anyway. I just bought a recording of the piece and the liner notes speak of the "simpler and better of the two" cadenzas. I disagree. I like the other one better. Rachmaninoff wrote it first.

Fri, 2007-01-26 04:59 — Nick Lewis

Merely from the point of

Merely from the point of view of the audience, a 45 minute piece needs a climax like that within the first 10 minutes -- otherwise, their tendency is going to be to "space out". The 3rd just doesn't have the same force without the powerful recapulation offered by the Ossia. I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking that the album notes are BS. It reminds me of this that I read on Rachmaninoff's wikipedia page:

The 1954 edition of Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians notoriously dismissed his music as "monotonous in texture ... consist[ing] mainly of artificial and gushing tunes ..." and predicted that his popular success was "not likely to last" ([1]). To this, Harold C. Schoenberg, in his Lives of the Great Composers, responded, "It is one of the most outrageously snobbish and even stupid statements ever to be found in a work that is supposed to be an objective reference."

Damn straight.

Wed, 2006-05-24 16:06 — a passing drifter-Feona Lee (not verified)

Ha I am actually writing an

Ha I am actually writing an essay on process of learning the RACH 3 (1st movement) I am 20 and started learning the 1st movement about a year ago and played it with the dvc orchestra. I couldnt believe the teachers that didnt believe in me playing this piece, but I proved them wrong and am currently working on the 2nd movement which is a killer also my friend colin and I will be playing the Suite No. 2 this month in SF for free...let me know if your interested ill give you the details..

Wed, 2006-02-08 23:07 — Andres (not verified)

Rachmaninov's Ossia Cadenza

Hey! Just stumbled upon your recording of the Rach3, it is quite amazing! I'm just looking into learning it myself - part of it at least. I have Lang Lang's performance CD (conducted by Temirkanov) and ah this piece is just amazing. Basically wanted to ask you, how long it took you to learn the cadenza? Did you practice a lot (an hour every day?) I'm myself 24, not a pianist but have learned a brass instrument (trumpet), and lately have got a real passion for the piano. It would be great if you also share the year old recording :) it is a great example to see the difference and how long it takes to master it. By the way there's an intersesting (also quite old) story in Guardian about kind of the same thing: http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/fridayreview/story/0,12102,956496,00.html Nice job! Andres

Wed, 2006-01-25 23:26 — R4CH 3

i thought it sounded like a

i thought it sounded like a keyboard. still sounded realistic enough!

and thanks for the tips. i havnt started yet, i actually think im gonna start learning some of tchaikowskys 1st concerto in Bb minor i think it is. anyway there are alot of similarities like the "quad chords" (help me on this one) or whatever you call them, but easier than the rach 3. just octaves instead of full chords. i think thats like a good warm up.

PS, anybody got rachmaninoff playing rachmaninoff? or more tchai that is any good?

Thu, 2006-01-26 00:00 — Nick Lewis

Quad Chords as in double

Quad Chords as in double octaves? Just keep your hands straight, but relaxed -- use your pinky and 4th finger as your "guide". For a long time I resisted playing blacknotes on double octave runs with my 4th finger, but putting sime time into it will result in HUGE improvements to accuracy, voicing, and speed. Also be sure to use your arms weight to strike the chords, so the amount you raise your arm in between notes controls the aplitute.

Here's Rachmaninoff himself playing the "regular" cadenza from the 3rd.

Fri, 2006-02-03 22:23 — R4CH 3

could you possibly get me a

could you possibly get me a recording of horowitz or rach (highly unlikely) or yefim bronfman playing the hard cadenza? Ossia cadenza?

also any rachmaninoff technique, or russian technique i think would be quite useful

Mon, 2006-01-16 23:30 — Nick Lewis

someone asked if older people can play this

I don't know what happened to their comment, it seems lost in some sort of weird filter.... But there question boiled down to whether you could play this if you were starting to learn piano at an old age. The answer is not whether you are too old, but rather if you have the patience for monotonous, and passion for the music that is required. A little bit of natural talent never hurts, either. Van Gogh, I recall started painting at the age of 27. I first started playing when I was 5. I quit lessons within about 8 months -- mostly because I hated playing the piano. I started retaking lessons at 10, by the age of 12 I still hadn't practiced enough, or to put two hands together. And above all, I didn't really care. It wasn't until I was 14 (which many people thought was way too late for someone to start studying the piano seriously) that I developed a love for Beethoven, and in a way, that's when I really started learning the piano. Sight reading, coordination, polyrythms, and subdivision are the big pains-in-the-butt to learn if you're just starting as an adult. I think young players have a natural ability to connect music on the page with their hand movements -- something very related to their ability to pick up languages. While they clearly have the advantage, it shouldn't stop you from saying to yourself, "bloody hell, I can still train my hands to move". So no, you are never too old, unless of course, you think you're too old and have already accepted defeat. That said, I wouldn't go quiting careers, or dropping out of college to become a famous concert pianist just yet.

Tue, 2006-01-24 00:17 — R4CH 3

Rach 3 is awesome!IÂ like

Rach 3 is awesome!

I like what you said about being "too old to learn", because i started at 18, have been playing for 4 months, and can now play prelude in C#m, by rach of course, and can play the first page and a half of revolutionary etude, by chopin.

i was only able to learn these, becus i have an intense passion for playing.

so if anybody has any tips to learn rach 3, by all means, come forward!

PS, did you play this on keyboard, or piano?

Tue, 2006-01-24 01:16 — Nick Lewis

Thanks for the compliment.

Thanks for the compliment. Good to hear that I've helped someone else overcome the conventional wisdom of musty smelling classical types who say, "you either start young, or not at all."

This was played on a yahama s80 keyboard that I tuned to be just a tad flat (strangely, de-tuning it a hair made it sound a lot more real). This cut was actually caught while I was recording a 2 in the morning practice session, and I unfortunately, while not thinking, increased the volume which resulted in the redline distortion of the base around 0:58. I also, put it through a few filters to help cover up the keyboardish sound.

I wish I had a real Steinway to record on, but as a young 20-something yet to be homeowner, a weighted 88 key semi-realistic keyboard is the best I can do.

I have a few tips for you in learning the Cadenza:

1. Don't ever let yourself gloss over anything (be it tiny cheats, or "close enough" executions of difficult areas ) while learning. I made this mistake, and the end result is that my hands have learned 3 different versions of each measure.

2. Always practice measures with strict time. Don't teach your hands to hesitate. For example, the heavy chordal part -- if you find yourself putting the piece off time while your fingers search, slow down until your fingers can search in time.

3. Just get it right the first time... I just can't emphasize that point enough...

Mon, 2006-01-02 08:12 — browning (not verified)

Ossian Cadenza

Jeezus. I thought I was having a hard time learning to play Chopin's Berceuse. Ain't aesthetics grand? Motivates the will to do whatever the hell you have to do to touch them.

Sat, 2005-12-31 19:53 — Drahcir (not verified)

Try this with 10 fingers!

Anyone criticising technique should try playing this stuff with only ten fingers! It's a long haul to get to a stage when one can 'forget' the technicalities and enter into the stream of the music. I mean~ when playing music become an extension of consciousness, as opposed to to simply getting through a piece without making a 'mistake'. I think we never get there completely ourselves, although others get more and more enjoyment from listening as the growth to perfection increases within.

I thought your performance was courageous and powerful, without being over sentimental. Thank you for keeping the passion alive...

Mon, 2005-12-05 16:26 — yenda smejkal (not verified)

cadenza

i think your performance of the ossia cadenza is simply marvellous!!!! well done!

Mon, 2005-12-05 16:26 — yenda smejkal (not verified)

cadenza

i think your performance of the ossia cadenza is simply marvellous!!!! well done!

Sun, 2005-12-04 18:25 — Chad (not verified)

Rachmaninov's Ossia Cadenza

Hey, I think you are doing a great job. The fourth take should be immaculate! I thought you might be interested in the posting on my blog of an essay I wrote about Rachmaninoff's works for piano and orchestra. It is around 10 pages of detailed info on the concertos and Paganini Rhapsody. The link is Rachmaninoff's Works For Piano and Orchestra P.S. Do you happen to have the cadenza in digital format. I'd love it if you could e-mail it to me. Thanks.

Mon, 2005-11-07 23:20 — lemuel (not verified)

Rachmaninov's Ossia Cadenza

Nice try, though it felt a bit broken. But now I realize how hard it is to play Rachmaninov. Horowitz or Sokolov make it seem so easy. Keep it up.

Tue, 2005-11-08 01:50 — Nick Lewis

Rachmaninov's Ossia Cadenza

Yeah -- there are some pretty rough areas. To tell you the truth I try -- very hard actually -- to not use Horowitz, Sokolov, and so forth as my bench marks. If I thought I should sound like the great virtousos of the 20th century, I doubt I'd have the courage to play at all. I have roughly an hour that I can practice everyday, and a real job building giant community driven websites... time for practice is short. Though I must point out that I've heard live recordings of Van Cliburn, and others in which their cadenza was also broken at points. Its very difficult to maintain the concentration required to get through each measure perfectly. As soon as you mentally pat yourself on the back (i.e. you think "whew -- got through the hard part) you mess up. That said, thanks for being honest, and I'm close to putting up a revised version soon. (god... you should have heard this piece a year ago... ::cringe::)