Juozas Rimas wrote:
>I've just listened to Rachmaninov's "Musical Moment" and other piano pieces
>by Horowitz. I must say this music sounds not only very Russian (what's
>understandable) but has some Caucasian spice in it. Or am I mistaken?
Aren't Russians caucasians?
>I'd like to ask how Rachmaninov is appreciated in the west and what you
>think about his place among other 20th century composers. Thanks for your
>opinions.
I am steadily downgrading my opinion of Rachmaninov. His symphonies aren't
up to much and others on this list have said that the piano concertos are
poorly structured.
I wonder if he would be as popular today if it weren't for the Paganini
variations.
In fairness I have to say that his solo piano works are attractive. The
Chopin influence that Juozas hears could just as well be described as a
Lizstian influence I reckon. I guess that's eclecticism.
We have talked a lot here about what makes a composer great. I think that
he/she has to have at least one seminal work under their belt. There is
a singular absence of such a work in the backward looking Rachmaninov's
ouvre.
Bob Draper
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