Rachmaninoff - Prelude Op. 23 No. 2 (Richter)

Prelude No. 2 from 10 Preludes, Op. 23 Sviatoslav Richter, piano The Prelude in B-Flat Major, Op. 23 No. 2 is a composition by Sergei Rachmaninoff completed and premiered in 1903. This brilliant virtuoso piece is rhythmically complex, contrasting thunderous left-hand ostinato against a jagged right hand melodic line. As in Chopin’s Etude in C Minor, Op. 10 No. 12, the performer must possess considerable left-hand endurance to maintain a consistent legato throughout the piece. The performance problems of the B-flat major prelude are many. Success demands that the performer have large, dextrous, and powerful hands. The left hand accompaniment requires unusal endurance, which must be maintained with perfect tempo and rhythm throughout the piece. Quoted from Geoffrey Norris’ “Rachmaninoff“ Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 - 1943)