Classical Music in Russia

The famous Russian school, what could we say about it. Nothing but all good words. With Russian school I mean the piano technique heritage from Russia. A very powerful, strong and yet present nowadays amongst the most famous pianists all over the world.

Although I have been trained within the Italian technique, the famous Scaramuzza piano technique, I must confess that the Russian technique gives many great pianists. All of them with a similar signature: Able to perform Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky pieces, which are not that easy to be played by having the rest of the techniques though.

Russian technique has something in common with Scaramuzza’s, and that is the weight. Both are techniques based on the weight of the pianist over the keys, that’s why a pianist playing with any of both techniques will sound much louder and precise than with any other technique.

Well, obviously, like everything else, it has some pros and cons. But in general, means good results to ones who study under the technique.

Actually, our piano teacher Anthony Elward and his new article published on the blog reminded me of the Russian technique. He has written an article for WKMT Blog in which he talks about Classical music in Russia, analysing main pieces, styles as well as main composers.

I declare myself a pure fan of Rachmaninoff. I always enjoy studying his Preludes Op 23 while resting from any concert I might be preparing of J. Haydn. It gives me the opposite of exactly concentrating more on what I am doing with Haydn. So I know what Rachmaninoff needed from a pianist to be able to play his compositions.

You can read the full article using the link aforementioned, in which you will see also a video that WKMT Team uses from my recent recording of the Opus Number 6 Prelude 23 by Rachmaninoff. I also take the advantage and share with you all my own piano recording in London of the prelude Op 23 Number 5 by Rachmaninoff here below. I hope you like it!