Rachmaninoff's Tempi - Part 2
Recorded by Willem Mengelberg
Piano Concerto No. 3
Mengelberg's later inscription reads: 'Welt-Uraufführung mit den Componist in London Philharm. Society. 21 Jan 1912-13 (damals nur ¾ stunde probiert)' (Worldpremiere (sic!) with the composer in London Philharm. Society. (rehearsal at the time but 45 minutes)) The score also holds tempo markings for performances (and subsequent recording) by Walter Gieseking in ink. Gieseking provided these by letter, because there was a lack of rehearsal time.
The letter is also kept at the archive and according to Mengelberg expert Dr. Frits Zwart, the conductor wryly noted 'alles andere Tempi als der Komponist' (all tempos different from the composer's own). Horowitz' cuts are also reported, but not his tempi.
Allegro ma non tanto
'Ma non' crossed out and substituted by 'molto'.
Above the first bar Mengelberg writes 'flott' (fluent).
For the general tempo Mengelberg gives minim = 72-80, specified above the first bar as crotchet = 144 and above the third bar (where Mengelberg incidentally notes the change of beat, from four to two in a bar) crotchet = 158, and also minim = 80. Above the third bar he adds 'fest flott' (steady, fluent). The first par starts 'mf', followed by a steep diminuendo in the second and at the entrance of the solo in the third bar, the accompaniment is brought down to 'pppp' and 'ppp'.
17 in 1 crotchet = 168 / minim = 80 (sic)
4 crotchet = 164-158
7 before 5 crotchet = 86
1 before 5 crotchet = 80
5 crotchet = 96
6 before 6 crotchet = 104
2 ½ before 6 crotchet = 96
9 in 6 crotchet = 92
7 in 9 crotchet = 104
6 before 10 crotchet = 144
3 in 10 minim = 86
11 minim = 86
9 in 11 minim = 76
12 minim = 80
2 in 12 minim = 86
6 before 14 beat changes from minims to halves
14 minim = 86
7 in 14 minim = 92
11 in 14 minim = 92
15 in 14 minim = 96
23 in 14 minim = 108
15 minim = 104 'Nicht eilen' (Don't rush)
16 minim = 100
17 minim = 100
4 before 18 minim = 102
9 in 18 '4/4' crotchet = 112
Cadenza: Mengelberg notes a cut of 1½ bars before the 'accelerando' into the 'veloce', which he marks as crotchet = 76
19 crotchet = 108
20 crotchet = 72
4 in 20 minim = 72-80 'pppp' 'sehr leise' (very soft)
22 minim = 86 'Più mosso'
23 crotchet = 100 'halten' (brake)
1 in 23 crotchet = 96
3 in 23 crotchet = 100
End '16'
Intermezzo
Adagio 'Rachmaninoff: Andante!'
24 'Rachmaninoff: pp, violas more prominent'
25 crotchet = 76-80
26 crotchet = 50
27 crotchet = 50
1 before 29 'più mosso'
4 in 32 crotchet = dotted crotchet = 76-80 'des Walzers gem.' (like a waltz)
1 before 35 'rit'
39 crotchet = 108
Finale
Minim = 100-104
41 minim = 92 'Gemessen' (measured)
9 in 41 minim = 104
42 minim = 108-104
44 minim = 120
45 minim = 112 'Sehr zart' (very tender)
47 minim = 104
2 before 48 crotchet = 92
50 crotchet = 92-88
51 crotchet = 104
2 in 52 crotchet = 62
53 crotchet = 86-88
54 crotchet = 96
55 crotchet = 60
5 in 56 crotchet = 108
59 minim = 92
8 in 60 minim = 112-116
5 in 63 minim = 104-108
64 minim = 126
70 'halten' (brake)
End 35'-40'
I 16'
II 10'
III 13'
