Daniel Barenboim

Victor Atanasov · **Posted:** Fri Sep 02, 2011 8:49 pm

Daniel Barenboim is one of the greatest pianists of the 20-th,21-st century,one of my most favorite pianist as well,I don't think nowadays anyone plays Beethoven and Mozart like him.Been curious though,I've never seen,nor heard,him playing anything from Rachmaninov.Has any of you heard him performimg Rachmaninov?Tried to find anything on the internet,but couldn't.Why do you think he doesn't play Rachmaninov,he might not be a fan of Rachmaninov,or,just curious.

pianolady · **Joined:** Wed Jun 14, 2006 12:38 pm **Posts:** 7994

Yes, Barenboim is a very fine pianist. Not sure why he hasn't recorded any Rachmaninov. Maybe because he (Barenboim) is not a charming man? I know that sounds silly, but I know he's not the most charming/romantic/dramatic man on earth from observing his time as principal conductor with the CSO. Perhaps he can't relate to Rachmaninov's highly dramatic music? Who knows....I'm just taking a wild guess here...

Victor Atanasov · **Posted:** Sat Sep 03, 2011 7:33 am

Yeah,that's what my guess is too!Just don't think he enjoys Rachmaninov as much.Just was curious as out of all of the other great pianists,he seems to be the only one not playing Rachmaninov!

andrew · **Posted:** Sat Sep 03, 2011 9:45 am

I think I read somewhere that Barenboim's hands are comparatively small. If so, that would be an possible explanation.

Victor Atanasov · **Posted:** Sat Sep 03, 2011 11:45 am

That's a possible explanation too.Usually Rachmaninov is one of pianists' favourite composers and his piano concerts are a goal of most.

StephenC · **Joined:** Thu Oct 13, 2011 3:53 am **Posts:** 45

pianolady wrote:

Yes, Barenboim is a very fine piano classes. Not sure why he hasn't recorded any Rachmaninov. Maybe because he (Barenboim) is not a charming man? I know that sounds silly, but I know he's not the most charming/romantic/dramatic man on earth from observing his time as principal conductor with the CSO. Perhaps he can't relate to Rachmaninov's highly dramatic music? Who knows....I'm just taking a wild guess here...

^ +1. That' what I thought so too. But also, here is what I think what Barenboim mindset is. and I quote, well from what I read:

Quote:

"Struggle, Beethoven is all about struggle," Barenboim says, spitting out the last word with a guttural force to match its meaning. "With this greatest of composers there's always resistance, battle with his own visionary torments." He slices the air with both hands, clenching right fist over left in imaginary combat to illustrate his point.

"There's never mere virtuosity for its own sake. Unlike Mozart or Chopin, Beethoven doesn't flow. You need to push him or pull him and sometimes he just stands still, stubbornly."

musical-md · **Posted:** Thu Feb 23, 2012 3:49 pm

andrew wrote:

I think I read somewhere that Barenboim's hands are comparatively small. If so, that would be an possible explanation.

I don't think that would be the reason. Do you know the pianist Ruth Slenczynska? She was a student of Rachmaninoff's (I think one of the very few), and is among the tiniest women I ever met. She MAY be all of only 5 feet tall (I think she is shorter), but she could play. I think Alicia de Larrocha is also a diminuitive woman but played both Rach 2 & 3. Perhaps Barenboim's perspective was that of the contemporaries of Rachmaninoff -- he is writing outdated, old-fashioned music, and should be left behind where he deserves to be as a post-romantic. Consider the great works of Debussy, Ravel, Bartok, Prokofiev, Stravinsky and even of the 2nd Viennese School -- and then there is poor Rachmaninoff who can't stop stacking chords in tertian harmony and can't let go of functional tonality. Anyway, of course they were wrong. Long live Rachmaninoff -- whether Barenboim plays him or not.

pianolady · **Joined:** Wed Jun 14, 2006 12:38 pm **Posts:** 7994

musical-md wrote:

I think Alicia de Larrocha is also a diminuitive woman but played both Rach 2 & 3.

Not to mention her Granados! Plenty of wide chords there too!!

Daniel Barenboim

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