Rachmaninoff's secret piano sonata

[@BlueArchiveClassicalPiano]

My favorite composition by Rachmaninoff, and in my opinion, his greatest solo piano work alongside the Chopin Variations, even surpassing his Second Sonata. This piece has pretty much every one of Rachmaninoff's strengths displayed; massive sounds, vast atmosphere, motivic transformation, beautiful melodies, fire and passion, rhythmic drive, ingenious counterpoint, colorful textures, and so much more. The Second Sonata might have more memorable climaxes and melodies, but I find the First to be better overall. It's just... so divine and ethereal. In a little under 40 minutes, Rachmaninoff manages to encompass pretty much every aspect of human emotion; consolation, ecstasy, emptiness, hypnosis, majesty, reminiscence, pathos, pensiveness, tenderness, triumph, unbearable pain, etc. I can only think of very few pieces that have been able to accomplish these feats as well as this Sonata.

[@gilvanhulle4006]

Wonderful sonata, I came to love all 3 movements after stumbling upon it. Glad to see people give it the praise that it deserves

[@andreilican]

I'm very glad to see his first sonata getting some love. I cannot wait to learn it sometime soon. This was a well made video, however I would have definitely preferred to have had Lugansky's recording in the background.

[@seandamusic]

Very good video, keep push with your channel , your doing great !

[@Sathrandur]

While the second sonata seems to be preferred generally, I love the first sonata even more. It took me years to get my head around it, but I kept being drawn back to it. At least those who hear his second sonata know that this exists because his second sonata is, well, his second.

[@Leeweez_Alt]

really great video for your sub count! can't wait to see more :) one suggestion that I've seen others bring up too - try lowering the volume of the piece when you're talking and letting it play at normal volume during pauses. your voice is amazing and it would be a shame to have it drowned out!

[@kofiLjunggren]

Lovely content! Keep up the great work!!!

[@anatmanspitama]

btw, your voice is awesome..

[@Crocket_1]

Thanks 🙂

[@StephenYork-t6n]

I far prefer this to the much more popular second sonata whose ubiquity in the repertoire I feel, owes much to the powerful espousal of Vladimir Horowitz. The first sonata has been brilliantly performed and recorded by Alexis Weissenberg.

[@zavilov]

The 2nd is far easier to play, and easier to understand in one listening. But i love them both.

[@alyoshaii]

nice

[@sean-kb4wr]

I find it to be superior to his 2nd sonata

[@Crocket_1]

Yeah they're both really good, I prefer his second though

[@kalleknackwurst4543]

Same. But I heard the first sonate only a few times. Thanks for putting it on my radar👍

[@VadimGolovetskiy]

No reason to compare, both are good in their own way.

[@Sathrandur]

I'm not sure about superior, especially given its comparative lack of popularity, however I certainly prefer the first piano sonata to his second.

[@fredericchopin2593]

holy shit 25 subscribers.... I was expecting atleast 100k lmao

[@veryrealcat]

you have to start somewhere but yeah the quality is actually surprising

[@Sathrandur]

If wouldn't be as much of a secret sonata if it were a channel with thousands of subscribers now, would it? :)

[@davidsong6560]

Do a video on his piano trios

[@danielhughes441]

You don’t have to speak German to read FAUST, dude. Ever heard of TRANSLATIONS?

[@ТанжихоловМуродулло]

Translation of works in form of poetry kinda ruins the intent of the original, no?

[@ТанжихоловМуродулло]

And he probably meant Faust is very culturally significant to germans so they are more likely to have read it

[@ShaunakDesaiPiano]

1:20 this format was definitely copied and pasted from Liszt’s Faust Symphony, not that that’s a bad thing.

[@Jqh73o]

That’s probably why he abandoned that program

[@claudefazio]

Overshadowed by what??? The music is played so loud that I cannot understand what you say at that point.

[@SpaghettiToaster]

His second.