Rachmaninoff – Russian passion for two pianos
Piano duo Lutgens / Garzillo brings the sweeping piano music of Sergei Rachmaninoff to life in the Nieuwe Kerk in The Hague. On the programme are his striking Suites and the Russian Rhapsody for two pianos: music full of passion, virtuosity, lyricism and rich Russian colour.
Shining as special guest is the young pianist Yulianna Beziazychna, two-time winner of GIPC. A concert in which musical intensity, ensemble playing and young talent come together.
Programme
- Hungarian Dances nos. 3, 4 and 5
- Suite no. 1, op. 5 Fantaisie-tableaux
- Suite no. 2, op. 17
- Russian Rhapsody
About the music
The music of Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943) unites virtuosity, lyricism and a deep-rooted Russian romanticism. His two suites for two pianos let us hear his musical language develop.
Suite no. 1, op. 5 (Fantaisie-tableaux), from 1893, is a poetic, pictorial work inspired by poems and impressions of nature. Across four movements Rachmaninoff conjures a world of bells, melancholy and exuberant motion.
Suite no. 2, op. 17, from 1901, is more powerful and extrovert. A festive introduction gives way to a whirling waltz, an intensely romantic romance and a brilliant tarantella, the two pianos meeting in a virtuoso dialogue driven by rhythmic energy and rich harmony.
The Russian Rhapsody of 1891 is an early work for two pianos, built as a set of variations on a Russian-flavoured theme. Even here, Rachmaninoff’s melodic expressiveness, pianistic imagination and sense of dramatic build are unmistakable.
Together the three works trace his path from promising young composer to one of the great masters of late-Romantic piano music.
