Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 36 (1913, 1931)
Edited by Lugansky (An unique blend of the two, leaning towards 1913)
Nikolai Lugansky, 2023
Moscow Philharmonic Society
I.
[0:00] Exposition - Theme 1 (Allegro agitato)
[1:58] Exposition - Theme 2 (Meno mosso -Tempo I)
[4:01] Dev. (Poco più mosso)
[6:00] Recap. - Theme 1 (Tempo I)
[7:01] Recap. - Theme 2 (Meno mosso - Tempo I - Meno mosso)
[9:08] Coda
II.
[10:06] Interlude (Non Allegro)
[10:37] A (Lento)
[13:19] B (Più mosso - Poco più mosso)
[15:10] A’ (Tempo I)
[16:53] Interlude (L’istesso tempo)
III.
[17:16] Exp. - Theme 1 (Allegro molto)
[18:33] Exp. - Theme 2 (Poco meno mosso)
[19:45] Dev. (Tempo I - Meno mosso)
[21:34] Recap. - Theme 1 (Tempo I)
[22:21] Recap. - Theme 2 (Tempo rubato)
[23:12] Coda (Presto)
“…The B flat minor Sonata starts with a plunge into the abyss, and the whole first movement, indeed virtually the whole work, explores the different ways in which this plunge can be transformed and shaped into large musical paragraphs. The awesome ringing of bells before the first-movement recapitulation, and the melting sequences in the middle of the intermezzo-like E minor slow movement, are just two of the most striking examples. The finale, which is immediately thrown back into the maelstrom, is dominated by the same principle. Set off against all this obsessive falling is one of Rachmaninov’s most haunting lyrical ideas, first heard at around [1'58] in the opening Allegro agitato. This is built around the lilting siciliano rhythm and the reiterated melodic centre that also characterize some of his best-known Preludes.”
- David Fanning