Sergei Rachmaninov's "Capriccio bohémien op. 12" performed by the WDR Symphony Orchestra under the baton of its chief conductor Cristian Măcelaru on Oct. 30, 2021 at the Kölner Philharmonie.
Sergei Rachmaninov - Capriccio bohémien op. 12
WDR Symphony Orchestra
Cristian Măcelaru, conductor
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○ Introduction to the work
"Bright, cheerful colors do not succeed for me," Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninov once revealed to writer friend Marietta Shaginyan. Looking at his oeuvre, one notices a preference for minor keys and melancholy moods. For a long time, the composer, who was educated at the conservatories in St. Petersburg and Moscow, was known to the music world primarily for his piano works and the Piano Concertos No. 2 and 3. However, his chamber music, orchestral works (three symphonies), and operas increasingly came to the attention of a wider public. Rachmaninoff is considered one of the "last romantics". Even in the 20th century, he embodied the type of artist equally gifted as conductor, composer and pianist in the succession of Franz Liszt.
Among his little-known works is the "Capriccio bohémien" op. 12, completed in 1894. Two years earlier, Rachmaninoff had completed his studies in Moscow. It was a busy time for him, searching for the right path. He felt himself to be a bohemian, a carefree artist. His self-confidence had been boosted by the successful premiere of his first opera, "Aleko," at Moscow's Bolshoi Theater on May 9, 1893. But he also had to give piano lessons to earn a living. Rachmaninov's cousin Sophia Satina recalled, "He was young and loved to dress dandified, go out in the best cab and throw money out the window. He wanted to live a grand style, but the income was not enough for that."
Common to the opera "Aleko" as well as to the "Capriccio bohémien" is a folkloristic color that was fashionable in that time as "alla zingarese". It can be found in the final movement of Brahms' Piano Quartet in G minor op. 25 as well as in Pablo de Sarasate's "Airs bohémiens" op. 20, which became known in German-speaking countries under the politically problematic title "Zigeunerweisen". Like there, Rachmaninov's "Capriccio bohémien" effectively strings together melancholy, dance-like and fiery themes in the style of a fantasy.
(Text: Matthias Corvin)
25 дек 2021
