Rachmaninov: Twilight, Sonata For Cello And Piano / Lieder – Orazio Ferrari

When discussing Rachmaninoff, the thought goes frequently to his overwhelmingly pianistic output. More rarely, thus, one goes to Rachmaninoff’s works in the fields of symphony, chamber music and song, even though this is a no less imposing output, fundamental for fully understanding the contribution given to the history of music in the twentieth century by this Russian-born, naturalized American composer. Double-bassist Orazio Ferrari, accompanied with great elegance and refinement by pianist Marco Sanna, realizes therefore a double leap in this album: firstly, he operates a psychoanalytical interpretation of a complex and iconic work by the composer, a step-by-step journal of what was actually a real psychiatric therapy; secondly, he performs this work on the double-bass but at the cello’s pitch. The result easily leaves one open-mouthed: his interpretive skill and depth are combined with a deep timbral mimesis, showing, once and for all, the potential of an instrument which is frequently under-exploited on the concert scene, and which is able to give the shades and nuances of the original instrument of destination, whose sound is never regretted. To complete this all, a further passage of interest arises, i.e. the performance, in transcription, of some of Rachmaninoff’s most significant Lieder, performed here, once more, on the double-bass. This gives the maximum of relief to the melodic vein of a composer who was able, throughout the first half of the twentieth century, to attract masses of people and who, even nowadays, never fails to touch and seduce the audiences.