To state baldly that
Rachmaninov composed twenty-four piano
preludes, one in each of the different
keys, seems to suggest a kind of late-romantic
Well-Tempered Klavier, but this
is to give a false impression. The first
to be composed was the famous Prelude
in C sharp minor, in fact the second
of a set of five pieces published in
1893 – the composer’s twentieth year
– under the title Morceaux de Fantaisie.
Of the Op. 23 set, the fifth, the march-like
G minor prelude, was the first to be
composed, in 1901; the others following
in 1903. The Op. 32 set was written
during a period of intense creativity
in 1910. Clearly the decision to use
all twelve tonalities was a conscious
one, but the only striking factor as
regards the progression through the
different keys is that the first and
last preludes share the same key centre,
C sharp/D flat. Rachmaninov never performed
all twenty-four preludes in public at
a single sitting and it is probably
better to get to know them in smaller
doses. Much has been written about Rachmaninov’s
indebtedness to Chopin in these pieces,
but there are significant traces of
Debussy too, of Schubert and even of
Brahms.
Collectors who are
familiar with the ongoing series of
Joyce Hatto releases from Concert Artist
Recordings, particularly those who have
heard her performances of the Rachmaninov
piano concertos, will already be convinced
and hardly need to read further. For
those unfamiliar with the pianist I
encourage them to hear this superb disc
without delay.
The C sharp minor prelude
is perhaps Rachmaninov’s most celebrated
work, certainly one of the most widely
known. Joyce Hatto quite logically begins
with it, and a more striking reading
it would be difficult to find. So well
known is it that it is perhaps easy
to miss the point here, to lose sight
of its deeply tragic nature. Stravinsky
famously referred to Rachmaninov as
"a six-foot scowl", and Barbirolli,
after seeing the composer in his coffin,
declared that he seemed "a bloody
sight more cheerful than he ever did
in life". A wide range of emotions
are presented in these preludes, and
not a little humour, but frequently
even those pieces which begin in a lively,
optimistic fashion will end in dark,
brooding melancholy.
Many of the virtues
of Joyce Hatto’s Rachmaninov playing
are apparent in her reading of the C
sharp minor Prelude. The opening octaves
are immense and powerful but without
a trace of hardness in the sound – no
feeling at all of the piano as a percussion
instrument – and the scrupulous care
taken with the pedalling in the following
bars is indicative both of her thoughtful
approach and the technical skill on
display. The climax of the piece is
stunning, and I have never heard the
final diminuendo, sustained over
nine bars, more gradual or more convincing
than this.
Once into the Op. 23
set the full range of the playing becomes
apparent. Hatto manages beautifully
well the integration of the rather nervy
accompaniment figure with the cantabile
melody in the F sharp minor prelude,
whereas the exuberant virtuosity of
the following B flat minor piece makes
one want to cheer. Hatto’s way with
tempo and pulse in the wistful, nostalgic
fourth prelude in D major demonstrates
her total understanding of Rachmaninov’s
style; this is a beautiful performance,
equalled in my view by the touchingly
pensive final prelude in G flat major
The first of the Op.
32 Preludes is one of those which opens
with panache and brio, but the mood
is fragile and short-lived and a series
of chords closes the piece in a world
filled with sadness or regret. Joyce
Hatto beautifully manages the two moods.
The B minor Prelude is one of the best
known and is said to have been the composer’s
favourite. It would be easy to imagine
the repeated chords which make up the
second section transformed into a kind
of hammered nonsense, but there is no
danger of that in this performance where
we never lose sight of the musical and
dramatic sense.
Many of the greatest
names feature amongst those who have
recorded the Rachmaninov Preludes. Richter
and Ashkenazy are magnificent, though
very different from each other. I’ve
also been listening to John Ogdon, Howard
Shelley and Hélène Grimaud
in some of the pieces. Whilst we may
prefer this or that pianist in individual
preludes, Joyce Hatto’s playing is characterised
throughout by her beauty of sound, even
in fortissimos, and a mastery of Rachmaninov
style through playing which, though
never anonymous, seems totally at the
service of the composer. These are deeply
satisfying performances. The disc has
been well recorded and there are informative,
descriptive notes by Jonathan Woolf.
Highly recommended.
William Hedley
Joyce Hatto (piano) 
