Misha Kaploukhii plays Rachmaninov 2nd Concerto with the Salomon Orchestra conducted by Michal Oren

This was no ‘Brief Encounter ‘ as his encore of Stephen Hough’s arrangement of Moscow Nights could testify. Taking the inspiration of Van Cliburn for the encore that he played at his triumphant victory in Moscow in 1958.https://youtu.be/vkxSgmoqpTs?si=uuM8r4uRJlI6UlUZ

His playing has the same style and virtuosity of Cliburn. A year younger than when he triumphed in Moscow, Misha can already boast a large repertoire of many of the greatest concertos in the piano repertoire. …………..tonight was the third Rachmaninov Concerto under his belt. And what a belt it was!

Refined Romanticism of good taste and ravishing beauty added to fearless virtuosity that seemed to have an audacity that was without shame but with poetic beauty and passionate intensity .

Misha Kaploukhii mastery and clarity in Walton’s paradise where dreams become reality – updated to include the Sheepdrove Competition and graduation recital

Misha Kaploukhii plays Brahms 2 igniting with Martyn Brabbins the RCM Philharmonic

Misha Kaploukhii plays Rachmaninov Beauty and youthfulness triumph

Chopin reigns at the National Liberal Club and St Mary’s Perivale The triumph of Misha Kaploukhii and Magdalene Ho

Misha Kaploukhii plays Liszt at the RCM A Sea Symphony Concert…..Youth and music a joy to ‘behold’!

Rachmaninov’s  Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor op 18 was  composed  between June 1900 and April 1901. The piece established his fame as a concerto composer and is one of his most enduringly popular pieces.

After the disastrous 1897 premiere of his First Symphony , Rachmaninoff suffered a psychological breakdown and depression that prevented composition for three years. In 1899, he was supposed to perform the Second Piano Concerto in London, which he had not composed yet, and instead made a successful conducting debut. The success led to an invitation to return next year with his First Piano Concerto ; however, he promised to reappear with a newer and better one. After an unsuccessful meeting with Leo Tolstoy meant to revoke his writer’s block , relatives decided to introduce Rachmaninoff to the neurologist Nikolai Dahl, whom he visited daily from January to April 1900. Rachmaninoff dedicated the concerto to Dahl for successfully treating him by restoring his health and confidence in composition.

From the summer to the autumn of 1900, he worked on the second and third movements of the concerto, with the first movement causing him difficulties. Both movements of the unfinished concerto were first performed with him as soloist and his cousin Alexander Siloti iconducting on 15 December  The first movement was finished in 1901, and the complete work had an astoundingly successful premiere on 9 November, again with the same duo. Gutheil published it the concerto the same year.

Brief Encounter tells the story of two married strangers living in pre-World War II England, whose chance meeting at a railway station leads to a brief yet intense emotional affair disrupting their otherwise conventional lives.Many critics, historians, and scholars consider Brief Encounter as one of the greatest films of all time  .

Excerpts from  Rachmaninmov’s Second Concerto  recur throughout the film, performed by the National Symphony Orchestra under Muir Mathieson , with Eileen Joyce as the pianist. 

photo credit Davide Sagliocca https://christopheraxworthymusiccommentary.com/2024/03/20/christopher-axworthy-dip-ram-aram/