Ravinia 2019, Issue 5, Week 10

8:00 PM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019 PAVILION CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA LEONARD SLATKIN, conductor DENIS MATSUEV, piano RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3 Allegro ma non tanto Intermezzo: Adagio [ attacca ] Finale: Alla breve Denis Matsuev –Intermission– RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship The Story of the Kalender Prince The Young Prince and the Young Princess Festival at Baghdad—The Sea—The Ship Goes to Pieces on a Rock Surmounted by a Bronze Warrior— Conclusion Celebrating Leonard Slatkin’s 75th birthday Tonight’s concert is performed in memory of Robert and Barbara Pinkert . SERGE RACHMANINOFF (1873–1943) Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, op. 30 Scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, timpani, strings, and solo piano Somewhat reluctantly, Rachmaninoff agreed to his first concert tour of the United States during the 1909/10 season. He detested the idea of leaving his homeland to cross the Atlantic by ocean-liner, but the financial lures proved irresistible. Owing to the enormous success of his Piano Concerto No. 2, Rachmaninoff was at the height of his popularity. Proper protocol dictated that the Russian introduce himself to the American public with a new work, and he obliged with the Piano Concerto No. 3. Rachmaninoff conceived a work that is as unaf- fected inmelodiousness as it is perilous in techni- cal demands. Many aspiring virtuosos have tested their mettle on this work. Some have failed, while others have catapulted to immortality; Vladimir Horowitz immediately comes to mind. More re- cently, mastering the Concerto No. 3 became the maddening pursuit of Australian pianist David Helfgott, whose musical and emotional struggles were featured in the film Shine . Less conspicuous but equally impressive are the structural novelties of the three movements. The Concerto No. 3 was the consummate realization of Rachmaninoff ’s artistry. Covering the Rus- sian premiere, Grigory Prokofiev wrote a most direct and accurate valuation of the Concerto No. 3: “The new concerto mirrored the best sides of [Rachmaninoff ’s] creative power—sincerity, simplicity, and clarity of musical thought. … It has a freshness and inspiration that does not as- pire to the discovery of new musical paths; it has a sharp and concise form as well as simple and brilliant orchestration, qualities that will secure both outer success and enduring love by musi- cians and public alike.” Rachmaninoff dedicated the Concerto No. 3 to pianist Josef Hofmann, who ironically never played a single performance of the work. The Allegro ma non tanto begins inauspiciously with a simple accompanimental pattern. After a two-measure delay, the piano intones its chant- like melody in octaves. Rachmaninoff denied any conscious imitation of Orthodox chant, but scholar Josef Yasser noticed strong similarities to the sacred melody “Thy Tomb, Oh Savior, Soldiers Guarding.” The unaccompanied piano offers a further theme. Development is not ex- tensive, and the recapitulation begins surpris- ingly early in this grand scheme. The composer left two cadenzas, the latter being considerably shorter than his original conception. There is a final airing of the chant theme in the coda before the movement dies away. The Intermezzo is a deeply emotive piece, at once melancholy, introspective, and turbulent. A pas- sionate orchestral segment exudes Russian Ro- manticism. The piano seizes the spotlight with a new virtuosic theme. As a waltz rhythm takes over, the piano assumes the role of accompanist. Another rich symphonic statement and brilliant solo passagework lead directly into the final movement. In the Finale , the piano bursts forth with a jaunty theme whose rhythm (even in the faster tempo) harks back to the opening of the first movement. A more lyrical theme blossoms into a series of variations. Steadily rising violins, doubled by thick piano chords, build excitement that finds release in a cascading romp to the end. Serge Rachmaninoff AUGUST 5 – AUGUST 11, 2019 | RAVINIA MAGAZINE 95