Starter Packs

Complete your collection with these curated titles, grouped at a special discount.

Shop Now
Rachmaninov: Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini; Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 7; Stravinsky: Three Scenes From Petruschka
ICA Classics

Rachmaninov: Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini; Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 7; Stravinsky: Three Scenes From Petruschka

$14.99

Details

Composer
RACHMANINOV PROKOFIEV STRAVI
Artist
Cherkassky, Mácal, Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester
Format
CD
Label
ICA Classics
Released
May 31, 2011
Catalog #
ICAC 5020
UPC
5060244550209

About

Piano enthusiasts drawn to Shura Cherkassky's charismatic and capricious artistry will find the previously unpublished Cologne radio broadcasts contained on this release both valuable and fascinating. A 1970 Rachmaninov Paganini Rhapsody reveals Cherkassky's generally lyrical approach to the piano part, and his fondness for spontaneous dynamic inflections and rounding off phrases. For the most part, tempos are slow to the point of sedate (Variations 12 through 14 particularly drag), although there are moments when the performance perks up and Cherkassky's cream-coated filigree becomes energized, such as in Variation 15 and the group of four following the famous Variation 18. I suspect that the overly resonant acoustic contributes to the performance's less than incisive impression.

The solo selections date from between 1951 and 1953 and include a relaxed yet compelling, individually shaped Prokofiev Seventh sonata (a work Cherkassky otherwise did not record) that markedly differs from Horowitz's driving intensity. Cherkassky apparently coached Stravinsky's Three Scenes from Petrushka with the composer, yet I've never been convinced by the pianist's slow and clunky way with the Danse Russe, although his soft pedal effects throughout the Shrove-Tide Fair add appreciable color and character to a movement that others play with more bravura and power.

However, the Rachmaninov Polka de V.R. and Rameau/Godowsky Tambourin show off Cherkassky's tonal palette at its best, along with his scampering élan and effortless passagework in Chabrier's Bourée fantasque, another work new to the pianist's discography. For Cherkassky fans, the Prokofiev and Chabrier alone are worth the price of this disc.

--Jed Distler, ClassicsToday.com

Tracklist 34 tracks

  1. 1 Introduction: Allegro vivace - Variation 1: Precedente 00:32
    Track
    1
    Title
    Introduction: Allegro vivace - Variation 1: Precedente
    Duration
    00:32
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  2. 2 Theme: L'istesso tempo 00:20
    Track
    2
    Title
    Theme: L'istesso tempo
    Duration
    00:20
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  3. 3 Variation 2: L'istesso tempo 00:19
    Track
    3
    Title
    Variation 2: L'istesso tempo
    Duration
    00:19
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  4. 4 Variation 3: L'istesso tempo 00:26
    Track
    4
    Title
    Variation 3: L'istesso tempo
    Duration
    00:26
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  5. 5 Variation 4: Più vivo 00:33
    Track
    5
    Title
    Variation 4: Più vivo
    Duration
    00:33
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  6. 6 Variation 5: Tempo precedente 00:34
    Track
    6
    Title
    Variation 5: Tempo precedente
    Duration
    00:34
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  7. 7 Variation 6: L'istesso tempo 00:58
    Track
    7
    Title
    Variation 6: L'istesso tempo
    Duration
    00:58
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  8. 8 Variation 7: Meno mosso, a tempo moderato 01:15
    Track
    8
    Title
    Variation 7: Meno mosso, a tempo moderato
    Duration
    01:15
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  9. 9 Variation 8: Tempo I 00:38
    Track
    9
    Title
    Variation 8: Tempo I
    Duration
    00:38
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  10. 10 Variation 9: L'istesso tempo 00:36
    Track
    10
    Title
    Variation 9: L'istesso tempo
    Duration
    00:36
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  11. 11 Variation 10: Poco marcato 00:56
    Track
    11
    Title
    Variation 10: Poco marcato
    Duration
    00:56
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  12. 12 Variation 11: Moderato 01:31
    Track
    12
    Title
    Variation 11: Moderato
    Duration
    01:31
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  13. 13 Variation 12: Tempo di minuetto 01:31
    Track
    13
    Title
    Variation 12: Tempo di minuetto
    Duration
    01:31
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  14. 14 Variation 13: Allegro 00:33
    Track
    14
    Title
    Variation 13: Allegro
    Duration
    00:33
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  15. 15 Variation 14: L'istesso tempo 00:49
    Track
    15
    Title
    Variation 14: L'istesso tempo
    Duration
    00:49
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  16. 16 Variation 15: Più vivo scherzando 01:10
    Track
    16
    Title
    Variation 15: Più vivo scherzando
    Duration
    01:10
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  17. 17 Variation 16. Allegretto 01:48
    Track
    17
    Title
    Variation 16. Allegretto
    Duration
    01:48
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  18. 18 Variation 17: (Allegretto) 01:49
    Track
    18
    Title
    Variation 17: (Allegretto)
    Duration
    01:49
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  19. 19 Variation 18: Andante cantabile 03:24
    Track
    19
    Title
    Variation 18: Andante cantabile
    Duration
    03:24
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  20. 20 Variation 19: A tempo vivace 00:35
    Track
    20
    Title
    Variation 19: A tempo vivace
    Duration
    00:35
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  21. 21 Variation 20: Un poco più vivo 00:38
    Track
    21
    Title
    Variation 20: Un poco più vivo
    Duration
    00:38
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  22. 22 Variation 21: Un poco più vivo 00:28
    Track
    22
    Title
    Variation 21: Un poco più vivo
    Duration
    00:28
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  23. 23 Variation 22: Un poco più vivo (Alla breve) 01:44
    Track
    23
    Title
    Variation 22: Un poco più vivo (Alla breve)
    Duration
    01:44
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  24. 24 Variation 23. L'istesso tempo 00:57
    Track
    24
    Title
    Variation 23. L'istesso tempo
    Duration
    00:57
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  25. 25 Variation 24: A tempo un poco meno mosso 01:24
    Track
    25
    Title
    Variation 24: A tempo un poco meno mosso
    Duration
    01:24
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
    Ensemble
    WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
    Conductor
    Zdeněk Mácal
  26. 26 I. Allegro inquieto - Poco meno - Andantino 09:22
    Track
    26
    Title
    I. Allegro inquieto - Poco meno - Andantino
    Duration
    09:22
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
  27. 27 II. Andante caloroso - Poco più animato - più largamente - Un poco agitato 06:06
    Track
    27
    Title
    II. Andante caloroso - Poco più animato - più largamente - Un poco agitato
    Duration
    06:06
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
  28. 28 III. Precipitato 04:00
    Track
    28
    Title
    III. Precipitato
    Duration
    04:00
    Composer
    Sergei Prokofiev
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
  29. 29 No. 1. Danse russe (Russian Dance) 02:55
    Track
    29
    Title
    No. 1. Danse russe (Russian Dance)
    Duration
    02:55
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
  30. 30 No. 2. Chez Petrouchka (Petrushka's Cell) 04:36
    Track
    30
    Title
    No. 2. Chez Petrouchka (Petrushka's Cell)
    Duration
    04:36
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
  31. 31 No. 3. La semaine grasse (The Shrove-tide Fair) 10:11
    Track
    31
    Title
    No. 3. La semaine grasse (The Shrove-tide Fair)
    Duration
    10:11
    Composer
    Igor Stravinsky
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
  32. 32 Polka de WR 04:04
    Track
    32
    Title
    Polka de WR
    Duration
    04:04
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
  33. 33 Les fetes d'Hebe: Tambourin (arr. L. Godowsky) 02:56
    Track
    33
    Title
    Les fetes d'Hebe: Tambourin (arr. L. Godowsky)
    Duration
    02:56
    Composer
    Jean-Philippe Rameau
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky
  34. 34 Bourrée fantasque (version for piano) 05:34
    Track
    34
    Title
    Bourrée fantasque (version for piano)
    Duration
    05:34
    Composer
    Emmanuel Chabrier
    Performer
    Shura Cherkassky