Rachmaninov
Rachmaninov Reflections – Symphonic Dances (arr. Barnatan); Moments musicaux; 14 Romances – No. 16; Preludes – No. 12
Inon Barnatan (piano)
Penatone PTC 5187 113 73:07 mins
The inspiration behind Inon Barnatan’s contribution to the Rachmaninov anniversary year lies in a chance encounter with a bootleg recording of the composer’s piano playthrough of his Symphonic Dances to Eugene Ormandy. (Ormandy duly conducted the premiere shortly afterwards in January 1941). Garlanded with a running commentary and various illustrative vocal interjections, it enshrines Rachmaninov’s thoughts about how his orchestral swansong should ‘go’; and, intrigued, Barnatan resolved to make his own transcription of Op. 45 for solo piano to complement Rachmaninov’s two-piano version.
The result is largely persuasive even if corralling an opulent orchestral score (including an alto saxophone) presents formidable challenges. Although its soundworld is somewhat lost in translation, Rachmaninov’s compositional processes are laid bare with unflinching clarity, and as a performer Barnatan’s fundamentally intellectual approach probes them with fascinated scrutiny.
The crisp articulation at the outset engorges into thunderous, though tightly controlled, plenitude without allowing Rachmaninov’s thematic obsessiveness to overpower. And the wistful second main idea is imbued with a luminous soulfulness that never trespasses into mawkishness.
The tempo di valse middle movement, however, is sometimes a little po-faced, but Barnatan’s incisiveness ensures that the finale is despatched with trenchant (sometimes tintinnabulatory) élan.
Offsetting Barnatan’s own transcription of the evergreen Vocalise and the G sharp minor Prelude from the Op. 32 set is something from Rachmaninov’s youth: the Moments musicaux, Op. 16. There’s perhaps more poetic light and shade in Steven Osborne’s 2022 release on Hyperion, but if the Chopinesque tempest of No. 4 sounds a little muted, the rustling fretfulness of No. 2 and the measured gravitas of No 3 prevail; while No. 6’s ‘Moment’ signs off with a magisterial firestorm. Paul Riley