The Pianist. Rachmaninov Concertos

THE PIANIST October 2002 Rachmaninov Complete piano concertos (1-4); Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Aarhus Symphony Orch/James Loughran (cond) Oleg Marshev (pf) Danacord DACOCD 582-583 Few British music lovers have heard the young Russian pianist Oleg Marshev live; he seldom appears in the UK, but having listened to his complete recording of the Rachmaninov works for piano and orchestra, I'm hoping that British agents will be rushing out to sign him! Right from the start - from the first movement of the first concerto - Marshev's technical polish, dramatic sense of timing and dynamic involvement with the music hit me in the face. (more…)

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CLASSICAL MUSIC ON THE WEB. Rachmaninov

CLASSICAL MUSIC ON THE WEB January 2002 Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) Piano Works Morceaux de Fantasie Op.3 (1892) Elégie in Eb minor; Prelude in C# minor; Mélodie in E major; Polichinelle; Sérénade in Bb minor Piano Sonata No.2 in B flat minor Op.36 (revised version) (1913/1931) Variations on a theme of Corelli Op.42 (1931) Oleg Marshev - pianist Recorded at the Concert Hall in Sønderborg, Denmark April 1999 DANACORD DACD525 / 67.18 This is an excellent disc in a number of ways. One of its characteristics is that it is a condensed survey of the entire piano music output of Rachmaninov. Let me explain. (more…)

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Classic CD. Rachmaninov

CLASSIC CD March 2000 CLASSIC CD CHOICE very impressive playing from a born Rachmaninov interpreter Rachmaninov: Morceaux de fantasie op.3, Sonata n.2 in Bflat minor op.36 (revised version), Variations on a theme of Corelli, op.42. Oleg Marshev / DANACORD DACOCD 525 / 67:18 DDD Oleg Marshev: shows a natural kinship with Russia's greatest composer-pianist  Oleg Marshev scored something of a triumph with his Prokofiev sonata cycle on the Danacord label some years ago both in these columns and elsewhere. He has also recorded the Rubinstein Third and Fourth concertos and the Strauss Piano Sonata for the same label. Listening to these Rachmaninov performances, there is no doubt that he is a player in the grand manner, as befits his Moscow...

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Gramophone. Rachmaninov

GRAMOPHONE April 2000 Rachmaninov Morceaux de fantaisie, Op 3. Piano Sonata No 2 in B flat minor, Op 36 (rev. ver), Variations on a theme of Corelli, Op 42. Oleg Marshev (pf) / Danacord DACOCD525 / 67 DDD Following his highly praised Prokofiev cycle for Danacord, Oleg Marshev turns to Rachmaninov, whom Prokofiev outwardly despised but inwardly admired. Born in Russia but based in Italy, Marshev reveals his roots in every brooding and impassioned bar. Scorning an easy virtuoso aplomb, he takes us to the poetic core of the Second Sonata, a turbulent masterpiece best heard in its original 1913 version rather than the 1931 revision played here. Even given the composer's lugubrious dismissal of his first thoughts, his feeling...

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KLASSIK HEUTE. Rachmaninov

KLASSIK HEUTE March 2000 Rachmaninoff Morceaux de Fantasie op. 3, Klaviersonate Nr, 2 h-Moll op. 36, Variationen über ein Thema von Corelli op. 42; Oleg Marshev — Klavier / Danacord DACOCD 525 (1999) / 67' Oleg Marshevs lange und eindrucksvolle Liste von Danacord-Einspielungen hat im deutschsprachigen Musikraum nicht dazu geführt, diesen fähigen Künstler auch auf den Podien heimisch zu machen, Immerhin legte er bisher unter anderem das originale Gesamtwerk Prokofieffs vor (DACOCD 391-395) sowie Solowerke von Rachmaninoff [525). An diese ebenso kundige und überlegte wie brillante Aufnahme knüpft der aus Baku stammende Marshev nun mit einer weiteren Rachmaninoff-Auswahl an. Marshev möchte offenbar die Wichtigkeit einer oft als "Salongefummel" diskreditierten Musik betonen, Den herabstürzenden Beginn der Sonate beschreibt Marshev sehr artikuliert,...

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CLASSICAL MUSIC ON THE WEB. Hexameron

CLASSICAL MUSIC ON THE WEB October 2001 Hexaméron — Morceau de Concert Franz Liszt (1811-1886) — Aprés un lecture dé Dante — Fantasie quasi Sonata Henri Herz (1803-1888) “Les perles animeés” Grande Valse Op.211 Frederic Chopin (1810-1849) Barcarolle Op.60 Sigismund Thalberg (1812-1871) Grande fantasie de concert sur l’opéra “La Traviata” de Verdi Op.78 Carl Czerny (1791-1857) Variazioni sopra un tema di Rode “La Ricordanza” Op.33 Franz Liszt et al Hexaméron — Morceau de Concert (contributions from all the above composers) Oleg Marshev (piano) / Danacord DACOCD 530 / 76.51 Recorded in the Concert Hall Sonderborg, Denmark, April 1999 By any stretch of the imagination this is a very special and also quite unusual CD. Not only is it full of...

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GRAMOPHONE. Strauss

GRAMOPHONE October 1997 R. Strauss Piano Sonata in B minor, Op. 5. Funf Klavierstucke, Op. 3. Stimmungsbilder, Op. 9. Oleg Marshev (pf) / Danacord DACOCD440 / 74 DDD (more…)

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GRAMOPHONE, Pabst

GRAMOPHONE June 1997 Pabst Fantasie on “Mazeppa” (Tchaikovsky). Paraphrase on “Eugene Onegin” (Tchaikovsky). Reminiscences of “The Demon” (Rubinstein). Paraphrase on “Sleeping Beauty” (Tchaikovsky). Illustrations of “The Queen of Spades” (Tchaikovsky). Tchaikovsky (arr. Pabst) Cradle Song, Op. 16 No. 1. Oleg Marshev (pf) / Danacord DACOCD450 / 68 DDD Pavel Pabst (1854-97, his name is often anglicized to Paul Pabst) did not achieve the fame of his pianistic colleagues mainly because he chose to concentrate on teaching (his pupils included Lyapunov and Goldenweiser) rather than performing. He is known today chiefly through his Paraphrase on “Eugene Onegin”, and his other paraphrases remain largely unfamiliar. In adopting Liszt's model Pabst inherited many of the essential ingredients, but his piano textures are generally...

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BBC Music Magazine. Sauer Vol.6

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE October 2004 SAUER Complete Piano Music, Volume 6 Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor. Galop de concert. Cinq Morceaux de Difficulte moyenne. Petite Scene de ballet. Menuet Vieux style. Polka de Concert Oleg Marshev, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra / James Loughran Danacord DACOCD 596 Like many pianists of his generation the Liszt pupil Emil von Sauer was a prolific composer, his output focusing almost exclusively on his own instrument. For the most part Sauer wrote virtuoso salon music designed to show off his prowess as an interpreter, but from time to time he also tackled more ambitious genres, completing two sonatas and two concertos. Collectors of Hyperion's indispensable Romantic Piano Concerto series will no doubt be familiar...

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INTERNATIONAL PIANO. Sauer Vol.5

INTERNATIONAL PIANO March/April 2004 Sauer Suite Moderne Aus Lichten Tagen 3 Concert Etudes Oleg Marshev (piano) Danacord DACOCD595 Russian pianist Oleg Marshev is unstinting in his devotion on the works of the German born pianist Emil von Sauer (1862 - 1942). So far, Danacord has issued five volumes in its series (N/D 2001); another volume waits in the wings to introduce us to the composer's Second Piano Concerto. For those unfamiliar with the compositions of this Golden Age musician, suffice it to say that they are highly virtuosic, not unlike the works of Anton Rubinstein (he studied with brother Nicholas) and vary in quality, in depth, and in interest. The Suite Moderne, dedicated to fellow virtuoso Giovanni Sgambati, is one...

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