Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 | Khatia Buniatishvili
Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor is widely considered to be one of the most challenging and technically demanding piano concertos in the standard repertoire. It was composed in 1909 and dedicated to Russian pianist Josef Hofmann.
The concerto is in three movements, with the first movement marked Allegro ma non tanto (fast but not too much). The second movement is scored as Intermezzo: Adagio (a slow, lyrical interlude), while the third movement is scored as Finale: Alla breve (a fast, energetic finale).
The concerto is noted for its virtuoso piano writing, particularly in the first movement. The soloist is required to perform a series of difficult passages, including fast octave runs, arpeggios, and complex figurations. The second movement is more introspective, with a beautiful and haunting melody played by the soloist over an exuberant orchestral accompaniment. The third movement is a tour de force of piano virtuosity, with the soloist engaged in a moving dialogue with the orchestra.
Khatia Buniatishvili is a renowned Georgian pianist who has performed this concerto with various orchestras around the world. Her interpretation of the piece is known for its emotional depth and technical virtuosity. If you haven’t heard her performance of the concerto, I highly recommend giving it a listen!
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto no.3
This incredible work by Rachmaninoff is a masterpiece of classical music that reveals the composer’s prodigious talent for both composition and orchestration for piano. It remains one of Rachmaninoff’s most famous pieces and a favorite in the piano concerto repertoire and is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical pieces of all time.
