Home listening - Rachmaninov, Bach and Bartók

The Guardian 0

There’s novelty and freshness from pianists Behzod Abduraimov and Julien Libeer. Elsewhere, a mystery podcast presenter…

• Sergei Rachmaninov, in exile in Switzerland, built his Villa Senar near Lake Lucerne in 1932, its style reminiscent of his home in southern Russia. Two important compositions were written there: the popular Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and the Third Symphony. In Rachmaninov in Lucerne (Sony), the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Gaffigan, in his last season as chief conductor, performs both, with generous spirit and expansive, romantic phrasing.

The novelty is that the Uzbek pianist Behzod Abduraimov plays the Rhapsody on Rachmaninov’s own honey-toned grand piano from Villa Senar. The instrument, a Steinway, was presented to the pianist-composer by the company in 1934. Any Rachmaninov fan will want this attractive set, which comes with a booklet full of photographs and essays. If only there was more information about the piano. The final track, Abduraimov playing the solo Lullaby Op 16, No 1, is heart-rendingly evocative.