RACHMANINOFF PRELUDES: A TIUDENTS PROJECT

 

RACHMANINOFF PRELUDES: 

A TIUDENTS PROJECT 

Tiudents (Albert Tiu’s Piano Studio) 

Conservatory Concert Hall 

Thursday (14 November 2024)

What are the lengths people go to hear the music of Sergei Rachmaninoff? A sizeable audience made its way to Kent Ridge to witness a performance of his Preludes for piano, and even if was not his full set of 24, it seemed worth the trouble. The chief reason being these were performed by the studio of Albert Tiu, affectionately known as the Tiudents, many of whom will become the future of pianism in their respective nations.

Rachmaninoff’s most famous Prelude, bar none, comes from his early set of Morceaux de Fantasie Op.3, the Prelude in C sharp minor, (Op.3 No.2), notorious because he was compelled by audiences to perform it as an encore whether he liked it or not. In fact, he despised this morsel, having sold its rights to a publisher for a paltry 40 roubles. Marketed as The Bells of Moscow, he should have made millions, but... It received a solid reading from Chen Xing-Chi, who put the right accents where they should be and pedalling was just as good.

The more familiar set of ten Op.23 Preludes was skipped for the 13 Preludes of Op. 32, which have a more adventurous harmonic language, are less melodic and in certain cases, more inscrutable. With a few exceptions, they are shorter and terser, some not lasting more than two minutes. Every piece also posed its own unique set of challenges. Below are some photos of the performers and a short description of each.

No. 1 in C major, was typical of Rachmaninoff’s later style; very short, highly dissonant, and passing like a flash. Leonie Wiegel, an exchange tiudent from the Norwegian Academy of Music, gave a good account. Blink, and it was over.

No. 2 in B-flat minor, in sicilenne rhythm, had a nervous tension that was gradually built up steadily by Liang Ray-Heng, getting more agitated and improvisatory as it progressed.

No. 3 in E major is an extrovert and jazzy number, flashy and dance-like in its beginning, but soon evolved into a march, not unlike the famous G minor from the Op.23 set. Chen Bo-Yu got to grasps with its tricky rhythms well.

No. 4 in E minor is the first of the extended Preludes from Op.32, a simply terrifying piece. Its distorted bell-like harmonies, reminiscent of alarum bells, getting more chromatic with each turn. Venus Chai Zi Qing, in her outlandish red tinselled outfit, ably provided all the sparks and flashes.

No. 5 in G major, one of the set’s more familiar pieces, achieved a genuine cantabile from Lee Ann, who clearly understands the music’s poetry.

No. 6 in F minor is short and violent, with Xian Ruofei supplying the requisite splash and crash.

No. 7 in F major is little-known and a little puzzling. Is it a happy or sad piece? The Janus-like character of Rachmaninoff is on display here. A hint of melody hidden beneath the right hand’s nervous chatter and laughter was teased out by Panyakorn Lertnimitphan.

No. 8 in A minor, is another short but very tricky piece. The repeated notes and nimble crossing of hands by Kuo Lyu-Cen shows she should be able to play Scarlatti very well.

No. 9 in A major has a broadness and expansivity, despite its relative short length, that was well brought out by Papat Lertchanvit.

Arnold Bocklin's Le Retour.

No. 10 in B minor, which has a pictorial reference to Arnold Bocklin’s painting The Homecoming, had a most convincing reading from Goh Kai Cheng, who was able to convey the music’s true feeling and sense of the epic beneath its many notes and surface glitter.

No. 11 in B major is another oft-overlooked piece, its quirky rhythm, wonderfully realised by Chiu Pin-Hsin, adding to its underappreciated charm.

No. 12 in G# minor turned out to be the final Prelude to be heard this evening, as a hand injury to its performer had prevented the final D flat major piece to be aired. Thus Toby Tan Kai Rong, who recently performed the Paganini Rhapsody with the Singapore Symphony, had the honour of closing the concert. As familiar and hackneyed as this piece has been, Toby found a freshness of feeling, which gives much hope for the future of pianism as this evening has engendered.

Tiudents, take a bow!