Premiered by the composer with the New York Symphony under Walter Damrosch on November 28, 1909, the piano concerto #3 was recognized as characteristic Rachmaninoff: excruciatingly difficult piano writing with sprawling chords and magnificent lines, lush orchestral textures, and moody, bittersweet melodies. And although today it is considered a pinnacle of Romantic concerto writing, the Third Concerto was performed by few besides Rachmaninoff himself until Vladimir Horowitz introduced it to the mainstream.
The themes of the entire work are presented in the first movement. First, a dotted rhythmic motive serves as the motor of the whole concerto. The opening Allegro begins in the orchestra, and the piano overlays the melancholic but dignified first theme. Fragments of the second theme are introduced by the horn, clarinet, trumpet, oboe, and piano, then it is fully stated in the strings, a staccato-figure variation on the rhythmic motive that evolves into a sweet, singing tune. The development is a long crescendo/accelerando in which the two themes seem to morph together, and the orchestral accompaniment is in a constant taffy-pull with the piano’s elaborate phrases.
Rachmaninoff wrote two cadenzas for this movement. The longer, and more difficult version was written first; the shorter, more slippery version was the one Rachmaninoff played. The original, uncut version was brought into fashion by Van Cliburn in the 1958 Tchaikovsky Competition.
Here is pianist Daniil Trifonov to play this gorgeous concerto for you:
