A Manipulating Baton

Rachmaninov
orchestral music -
heard by
RON BIERMAN

'Vasily Petrenko gives us an extreme interpretation ...'

Rachmaninov: Symphony No 2; Dances from Aleko. Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra / Vasily Petrenko. © 2012 EMI Records Ltd

Vasily Petrenko gives us an extreme interpretation of Rachmaninov's second symphony. He lingers over the lush romantic themes, speeds the faster movements, and pounces suddenly on the violent climaxes. The lingering has a saccharin film-music feeling; the speeding deserves a traffic citation; and the pouncing weakens the climaxes. Too bad, for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra responds with precision to Petrenko's overly-fussy direction...

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Copyright © 6 April 2013 Ron Bierman,
San Diego, USA

RACHMANINOV: SYMPHONY NO 2; DANCES FROM ALEKO - PETRENKO

SERGEI RACHMANINOV

ROYAL LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

VASILY PETRENKO

ORCHESTRAL MUSIC

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