Lugansky - Rachmaninoff, Prelude in C Sharp Minor, Op. 3, No. 2

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) Prelude in C sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 2 (1892) Nikolai Lugansky, 2019 Lento - Agitato - Tempo primo “First technical hint: set the right tempo for the first theme and hold it for the entire first part. Common mistake is to play it too loudly. I admit that the temptation is great, but the climax is not at the beginning. Reserve your strength because you will find several fff later. Take the chords of the melody in the upper voice delicately by caressing the keys and strive to make them sing. Avoid taking the chords in arpeggios lest that it lose evenness. The difficulty of the first part is to maintain regularity of the movement. The attack of the three notes in the first theme should not be too strong; just enough that they are all heard. In [Agitato], emphasize the upper triplets in the right hand, which is why I indicated “allegro con fuoco.” Adopt a tempo according to your technical capabilities. Emphasize the melody; it is unnecessary to play it faster than you are able. The return of the first part in double octaves requires the pianist to concentrate all his strength. Do not confuse fury with amplitude and majesty. It is safer to render this passage slowly - even if a trifle slower than at the beginning - and above all to ensure regularity of the decrescendo. I let this effect become apparent from bar 6 of this part. In the coda that the melody is in the middle voice of the chords in both hands, and it is essential to accentuate it delicately. Guard against the temptation to arpeggiate the closing chords.” - Rachmaninoff, “Réflexions et souvenirs”