Lugansky - Rachmaninoff, Prelude in C Sharp Minor, Op. 3, No. 2

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
Prelude in C sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 2 (1892)
Nikolai Lugansky, 2019

Lento - Agitato - Tempo primo

“First technical hint: set the right tempo for the first theme and hold it for the entire first part. Common mistake is to play it too loudly. I admit that the temptation is great, but the climax is not at the beginning. Reserve your strength because you will find several fff later. Take the chords of the melody in the upper voice delicately by caressing the keys and strive to make them sing. Avoid taking the chords in arpeggios lest that it lose evenness. The difficulty of the first part is to maintain regularity of the movement. The attack of the three notes in the first theme should not be too strong; just enough that they are all heard.

In [Agitato], emphasize the upper triplets in the right hand, which is why I indicated “allegro con fuoco.” Adopt a tempo according to your technical capabilities. Emphasize the melody; it is unnecessary to play it faster than you are able.

The return of the first part in double octaves requires the pianist to concentrate all his strength. Do not confuse fury with amplitude and majesty. It is safer to render this passage slowly - even if a trifle slower than at the beginning - and above all to ensure regularity of the decrescendo. I let this effect become apparent from bar 6 of this part. In the coda that the melody is in the middle voice of the chords in both hands, and it is essential to accentuate it delicately. Guard against the temptation to arpeggiate the closing chords.”

- Rachmaninoff, “Réflexions et souvenirs”

[LVKNG]

old people coughing is part of classical music live concerts for sure

[dbd]

Wow. The only flaw I can find in Lugansky, is that after hearing his interpretations its hard to listen to anyone else play the piece. Stunning.

[antonioluciovivaldi]

One of the greatest pianists of our times.

[republiccooper]

I learn so much from watching him perform.

[AleksaC]

Masterpiece. Nikolai Lugansky is easily one of the greatest pianists when it comes to playing Rachmaninoff, and other very passionate pieces.

[georgeamino]

When I was studying he came and did a masterclass on this piece with one of the students, and I have never heard the piano played both so quietly and so loudly in my life. It was amazing

[Mendelian]

I’ve watched every single performance of this piece on YouTube and this is IMO the best one, the timing and dynamics are spot on.

[louisross]

I love the way the sound increasingly fills all the air and makes it vibrate...

[TwelfthRoot]

For people who think piano is about acrobatics, this is an example of a technically easy piece to hit notes but there is a universe of difference between an average professional and Lugansky. There are only a handful of people in the world that can play at this level, maybe not even a handful.

[mirtozafiropoulou]

He's my most favorite pianist of the young era <3 <3

[Doubtlessly]

To me, this song is about the battle between your predestined path (the first three notes at the beginning of the song) and your will to power (the upper notes) - there's a constant battle and your will is trying to constantly fight and break free ... but it keeps falling back into the predestined path no matter what you do! And the final notes is the last wave of acceptance of the inevitable.

[vuqarizzetli]

Just think about it, Rachmaninov composed these stunning prelude when he was 18-19 years old. And little about Lugansky, he is the one of the best pianist alive.

[silviosalviati]

I have had the chance to compare this prelude played by T.Nikolayeva and by N.Lugansky. The comparison was instructive in many ways. Passion without roughness is surely one of the specificities of Lugansky's playing.

[MyPianoArchives]

I started playing piano 3 years ago. This is the first piece I ever learned, and still.. every single day, I work on perfecting it. I'm self taught without ever having a teacher; the greatest way for me to get an understanding of the music (without ever reading sheet music) is watching all the different interpretations.

[syourke]

I listen to this and I don’t know whether to feel inspired to practice harder or just quit altogether!

[TaichuLiu]

The prelude in c sharp minor by Sergei Rachmaninoff is a truly terrifyingly beautiful piece that gave me nightmares as a child but as I see Nikolai Lugansky now, I think what beauty that Lugansky executes in a piece so terrifying, traumatising and unbearable to some people

[РозаАршабекова]

Это просто невероятное исполнение, чувства захлестывают с какой-то магической силой! Дай Бог вам здоровья, сил продолжать радовать ваших поклонников, своей изумительной игрой!!!

[olafpietsch]

Unglaublich virtuos und überzeugend, ein Traum in der Wiederholung!

[slepokurov]

Самый недооцененный исполнитель конца 20 и начала 21 века. Абсолютный гений. Самое невероятное исполнение

[aminalesbekova]

this piece to me is like the five stages of grief.