Rachmaninov - Symphony No.2

Rachmaninov: Symphony No 2

 André Previn 

 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 

Previn made a famous LP recording with the LSO of this symphony in the early seventies for HMV which one hopes will eventually appear on CD, for this new version is by no means a carbon-copy interpretation. Previn's current approach has something in common with his Tchaikovsky Fifth Symphony—also made for Telarc, again with the RPO, in Walthamstow's resonantly flattering Town Hall (CD80107, 5/85)—both in its care for detail and the naturally expressive style.

At the very opening of the symphony one senses the greater sense of spaciousness of the new interpretation, while the moderately paced allegro combines refinement with a feeling of nostalgia, long-breathed phrases moulded with a flexible rubato. It is very different from the Ashkenazy/Decca performance which is altogether more vibrant, the allegro pressed on impulsively (Ashkenazy takes approximately 18'00'' for the first movement while Previn draws the structure out to 20'15''). Yet the Tchaikovskian climax at the peak of the development, reached so impetuously by Ashkenazy, has an engulfingly expansive romanticism with Previn whose reading is enhanced by the warmly natural Telarc sound, with ravishingly luxuriant string textures. Detail is much less sharply defined here than on the extremely vivid Decca recording, so that while in the second movement the lyrical string tune is richly expansive, in the darting scherzando which introduces the middle section, the Walthamstow resonance tends slightly to blur the sharpness of the violins' articulation. a direct comparison with Ashkenazy here shows the amsterdam strings tauter in ensemble and with greater drive.

Previn's conception of the Adagio is even more spacious (17'07'' against Ashkenazy's 14'15''), after a gentle clarinet solo almost chaste in its elegiac feeling. As in the first movement, Ashkenazy sets a consistently higher level of tension, while Previn maintains his mood of reflective reverie until the climax appears on the horizon. This is then built steadily to a peak of great amplitude and romantic power, followed by a radiant afterglow as the music relaxes. A reminder of Tchaikovsky re-appears in the strongly-phrased last paragraph of the coda. There is a similarly expansive finale, again with reserves held back for the climax, which the wide dynamic range and body of tone conveyed by the Telarc engineers make very spectacular. But clearly Previn's current view of this work is more reflective, less obviously virile than his earlier HMV account and there will be many who will find Ashkenazy's thrillingly impulsive drive, and very Russian flair providing more excitement.

The Decca recording has more edge on the strings than the Telarc, but the extra bite suits Ashkenazy's reading and on my equipment the ''reedy'' clarinet tone which EG noticed in his original review of the Decca LP (7/82) seemed less obvious—certainly the Concertgebouw clarinettist plays the solo with plenty of character. Those who already have Previn's earlier HMV LP version will find the new Telarc performance fascinatingly different and on sonic grounds very impressive. Simon Rattle's EMI version is disappointing and does not quite match the Ashkenazy or Previn issues, either as an interpretation or a recording.

-- Ivan March, Gramophone

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This is the other "Rach 2". If you know Rachmaninoff through the piano works, and know that he was a brilliant performer, this symphony will astound you. It is a major romantic work, owing some heritage in the brass sounds to Tchaikovsky. Rachmaninoff seemed to have a bottomless well of haunting melodies. If you are trying to read while listening to this, you'll find yourself putting your work aside by the time you get to the Adagio (third movement).

1985 must have been "The Perfect Year" for Andre Previn and the RPO. In addition to recording the Elgar symphonies, the Previn/RPO team nailed this symphony in a crisp DDD recording. The tempi are nice and measured (without wallowing) and Previn takes the RPO from a whisper to some really kicking fortes. (The tuba and the rest of the brass sound wonderful if you have a sub-woofer).

A must-have CD for any serious lover of classical music.