Gergiev pops up with ‘international’ Rachmaninov competition

Gergiev pops up with ‘international’ Rachmaninov competition

News

norman lebrecht

June 15, 2022

Putin puppets Valery Gergiev and Denis Matsuev will perform tonight’s gala opening in Moscow of the hastily assembled ‘International Competition of Pianists, Composers and Conductors. S.V. Rachmaninov.’

It’s at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and tickets are still available.

16 out of 24 contestants are Russian, four are Chinese and three are from Belarus.

International?

Comments

  • A.L. says:

    Intertransactional

  • Gustavo says:

    So who’s the odd one out?

    • Jahn says:

      Sergey Neller, Germany

      • Peter Schünemann says:

        Sergey Neller is Russian by origin, but now German citizen. He is composer, conductor and pianist.

        I heard him conducting Rodion Shchedrin’s opera “Lolita” at Prague’s Estates Theatre, a production, which was so successful, that is was bought by the Mariinsky Theatre.

        Typical for the Mariinsky style, Neller prepared the production and Gergiev took over the first two nights, knowing the score obviously less well than Neller, who was given later performances. I don’t know him as composer, but at least as conductor a name to watch.

    • msc says:

      Steven Segal, perhaps.

  • Allegro Barbaro says:

    Freddy Kempf is a member of the piano jury.

  • Pianist says:

    Look at the list of participants for knowing who is ideologically supporting Putin – Russia, Gergiev and Matzuev and all this corruption.

    Piano participants:

    https://rachmaninoffcompetition.com/en/participants-piano/

    • Ya what says:

      Or maybe (just maybe) they just support Rachmaninoff and his wonderful music. Yes, that can actually be possible.

      The only thing I find remotely irritating is the fact that it’s yet another piano competition in today’s world.

    • Neil says:

      Ivan Bessonov will win. He’s amazing.

  • Robert Hairgrove says:

    At least they spell “Rachmaninoff” correctly. 🙂

    • Robert Hairgrove says:

      That is how the man signed his name when he had left Russia and was living in Europe and the USA, after all.

      I know about the differences between phonetic and literal transliterations of non-Latin alphabets nowadays, but — if the man signed his name that way, then that is his correct spelling in the Latin alphabet, isn’t it?

    • M McGrath says:

      Yes…. Corrrrrrect in English. Not in German or French, for starters. 😉

      • Robert Hairgrove says:

        Before SVR emigrated to the USA, he lived in Dresden for many years. Yet he spelled his name himself with two “f”s and not a “v” at the end (that is how he signed his name).

        The fact that many old German editions of his music transcribe it with a “w” doesn’t make it any corrrrecter.

    • Allen says:

      Oh wow, it is sad to see that American conductor Christian Knapp (on the jury) is still there in Russia and supporting the Putin regime. Norman, that could be a story unto itself.

      • Peter Schünemann says:

        Sorry, Allen, as far as I know American conductor CHRISTIAN KNAPP is still conducting at the Mariinsky Theatre. Is every artist working at the Mariinsky accused of supporting Putin?
        His co-patriot Gavriel Heine left the company, but Heine has and will have a good career outside Russia, which Knapp did not have and maybe would not have.

        • Allen says:

          Yes, Peter, exactly. Knapp is still living in Russia and working at the Mariinsky theatre. No need for you to say “sorry”, but it would be interesting to hear HIM say “sorry” and explain how continuing to live and work in Russia alongside Gergiev is not supporting this war. Norman, do we know of any other American conductors doing the same and choosing to remain in Russia?

  • A pianist says:

    I suspect the Tchaikovsky competition is going to have a competitor list that looks like this as well when it next comes up. I wouldn’t feel safe traveling there. I suspect people from the U.S. and Western Europe aren’t entering.

  • Veronika Lazorik says:

    Putin is a war criminal who has murdered Russians and non-Russians alike to keep power. Those who support Putin support his violence and murder. Those who oppose Putin either leave Russia or are executed.

  • Martin says:

    Rachmaninov left Russia to live and work in USA. Free choice.

    • S says:

      Dear Martin,
      Rachmaninov (or Rachmaninoff depending on how you want to spell it) left Russia through his choice. However, are you aware that he was extremely home sick and despite not being of a Socialist inclination, sent huge sums of money (earned through his US recitals) to the Red Army in support of the Fatherland against Fascism? What do you say to that ironic twist of fate and allegiances?

  • Tim Walton says:

    If the competition link is able to spell Rachmaninoff correctly why can’t Slippedisc. NL, you should show more respect to the composer’s specific wishes!

  • Rob says:

    Have associated record companies cut their ties with Gergiev and Matsuev?

  • Pauker says:

    Gergiev and Matsuev swimmingbin Lake Baikal several years ago during … was it “STARS OF LAKE BAIKAL?” I forget..

  • Brian says:

    Something interesting – there was supposed to be 24 participants, but there was a last minute addition to the list – Gurgen Petrosyan, who from his youtube videos conducts like Gergiev and from his biography it seems like he is Gergiev’s assistant at the Mariinsky. The nepotism is….disgusting.

    • Peter Schünemann says:

      Brian, apart from Petrosyan there are more participants, closely linked to the Mariinsky Theatre. In the conductor’s section I found Arseny Shuplyakov, a former percussionist of the orchestra, now one of the (ballet) conductors. In the composer’s competition taking part is Eduard Kiprsky, pianist at the Mariinsky, brother of the brilliant harpist of the orchestra, Sofia Kiprskaya.

      Should I call that nepotism? Maybe I would call it nepotism, if Gergiev’s nephew Zaurbek Gugkaev, one of the Theatre’s conductors, would participate.

      • Brian says:

        Well I was saying it was supposed to be 24…and he was a rather peculiar last minute addition. Also I wouldn’t be surprised if both staff conductors end up in the finals, since their boss (and colleague) are on the jury

  • Iphigenia says:

    So you do imply that it would “more” international if there were few contestants from West? Only then it would be truly international? Please elaborate than, where it is defined. 3 separate countries – not international, than 4 should be good or not? Or it could international only if it’s 3 west countries? Maybe you can provide some sort of scale?
    FYI it’s a value judgement and racism.

  • Adele says:

    Wenn Putin ein Kriegsverbrecher ist, frage ich Sie alle die hier Hetze betreiben: was sind dann die amerikanischen Präsidenten die x tausendfach Bomben – sicher für alle hier gerechtfertigt – abwarfen(außer Trump)??? Jetzt wird von den echauffierten Herrschaften hier sicherlich eine Welle der Verzweiflung auf mich einbrechen smiley
    Und noch etwas: Kunst sollte unabhängig von Politik sein!!!

    • Robert Hairgrove says:

      Kunst SOLLTE ja unabhängig von Politik sein, war sie aber nie. Die politischen Herrscher hat in jeder Epoche die Kunst für sich instrumentalisiert. Oder können Sie ein Gegenbeispiel nennen?

      Und, was die Bomben betrifft, “echauffiert” sich hier keine(r), weil es sich einfach nicht lohnt, über Ihr “whataboutism” zu diskutieren. Amerikanische Kriegsgegner- und gegnerinnen hat es zu jeder Zeit in der Geschichte gegeben (und es gab leider auch Kriegsverbrechen). Im Gegensatz zu den Kritikern in Russland durften (und dürfen) sie aber für Ihre Meinungen demonstrieren.

      Das ist schon ein Unterschied, oder?

  • Zandonai says:

    What’s next? A debate on whether Rossini’s first name has 1 or 2 c’s ??

  • Simpson says:

    It feels sad that Rachmaninoff’s name got usurped by the people who are everything that SR was not. This hastily assembled “we will show you” kind of an event would be preposterous if it weren’t sad. The competition’s founders are the government of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Culture, according to the web site. I cannot imagine SR would want his name associated with *this* government and one of its ministries, but it doesn’t look like he has any way of defending or protecting his name.

  • Bernard says:

    I think I spotted a shark fin in the back. Shhhh…don’t say anything.

  • TATIANA GLEN says:

    It is not true.. It is not only piano competition : conducting and composing too. Competitors from: Grate Britain , Italy, Germany, Slovenia , Korea.. so you have to check before righting something…

  • Peter Schünemann says:

    Here are some surprising results of this competition :
    1. prize (conductor) Gurgen Petrosyan, Mariinsky Theatre
    3. prize (conductor) Arseny Shuplyakov, Mariinsky Theatre
    2. prize (composer) Eduard Kiprsky, Mariinsky Theatre

    By mentioning this coincidence I don’t want to express doubts that these artists don’t deserve their awards.

  • William Diffin says:

    Regardless of its political associations, I do not believe that the Rachmaninoff International Competition – unlike the International Tchaikovsky Competition – has actually been officially excluded from the World Federation of International Music Competitions (although neither is it a member).

    Neither do I believe that the Rachmaninoff International Competition is covered by international sanctions against Russia.

    Nor do I believe that the Rachmaninoff International Competition has been boycotted by Ukrainian musicians.

    As such, in the absence of any overt political posturing by the Competition itself, any talk of the Competition’s political motivation is both irrelevant and uncharitable, and I will enjoy the Rachmaninoff International Competition’s music as I would the music of any other international competition. I thank you.

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