Re: Rachmaninoff?

["Leon A. Le Leu" <lleleu@medeserv.com.au>]

I would go along with these statements from Jon:
>
>Rachmaninoff is god. :)
>

> dear conservative music person: 
>	
>	Never take Rachmaninoff at face value. His works need more than
>one listening, DEAD serious. Rach is pure passion. (the pop. opinion
>goes). and pure intellect. He weaves in melodies. If you listen, you will
>hear it. I could go on and on, but that would be excessively impossible
>and redundant... so: if you are human, give him another shot. if you are
>android or something, I can see how he can't work for you....
>

It seems to me that a person who could make the judgement to which the above
comments were an excellent response has sampled little of Rachmaninoff.  I
find constant rewards in playing Rachmaninoff and I would particularly draw
doubters' attention to:

The late preludes - that is, opus 32.

Any of the preludes

The etudes tableaux

Even opus 3.

Even his Moments musicaux which have their raw patches but are fairly early.

He was a superb composer for the piano.  Who cares what Groves' successors
said about him!

Leon Le Leu
Australia