# Mikhail Pletnev playing Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2



## msdubov (Mar 27, 2014)

I'd like to share here an extremely rare live recording of Mikhail Pletnev playing the 2nd piano concerto by Rachmaninov with LSO conducted by Maxim Shostakovich:





Despite its moderate quality, this recording presents a very interesting and - typically for Pletnev - a quite unusual interpretation of this concerto. This recording is a really valuable one since Pletnev never recorded this concerto in studio.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Thank you. Strong piano, and Maxim prepared his troops well. 1980's? Venue?

Old interviews, for those interested.

Maxim Shostakovich, 1992 -

http://www.bruceduffie.com/shostakovich.html

Mikhail Pletnev, 2003 -

http://www.bruceduffie.com/shostakovich.html


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## Sofronitsky (Jun 12, 2011)

Am I the only one who has a hard time listening to Pletnev after all of the child pornography/sex/molestation claims made against him?

Of course, he has never been convicted, but it seems that this charge keeps reoccurring against him which makes it hard for me to believe there is not truth in the claims.

He could commit armed robbery, treason, cheat on his wife, insult his fans or most other crimes and it would not make a difference to me in listening to him.. but the sexual exploitation of children I find to be a crime so disgusting that I can no longer appreciate his work.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Sofronitsky said:


> Am I the only one who has a hard time listening to Pletnev after all of the child pornography/sex/molestation claims made against him?


Do you listen to the music of Saint-Saens?


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## Sofronitsky (Jun 12, 2011)

KenOC said:


> Do you listen to the music of Saint-Saens?


Of course! I have also researched the composers life briefly. Is there some terrible allegation against Saint-Saens?


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Plenty of references to his famous self-description on the Internet (Google a bit). Also see well down in page one this NYT article for a reference to the blackmailing letters that S-S received more than occasionally from Algeria, where he spent a lot of time and where he died.

http://partners.nytimes.com/books/first/i/ivry-ravel.html


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Sofronitsky said:


> Am I the only one who has a hard time listening to Pletnev after all of the child pornography/sex/molestation claims made against him?
> 
> Of course, he has never been convicted, but it seems that *this charge keeps reoccurring against him* which makes it hard for me to believe there is not truth in the claims.
> 
> He could commit armed robbery, treason, cheat on his wife, insult his fans or most other crimes and it would not make a difference to me in listening to him.. but the sexual exploitation of children I find to be a crime so disgusting that I can no longer appreciate his work.


I'm aware of one charge and acquittal, in which Pletnev claimed attempted extortion. Do you have other cases, and links for?


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Vaneyes said:


> I'm aware of one charge and acquittal, in which Pletnev claimed attempted extortion. Do you have other cases, and links for?


Was Pletnev acquitted? I thought he was allowed to leave Thailand while on bail, with the unspoken understanding that he wouldn't return. And there certainly did appear to be extortion involved.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

KenOC said:


> Was Pletnev acquitted? I thought he was allowed to leave Thailand while on bail, with the unspoken understanding that he wouldn't return. And there certainly did appear to be extortion involved.


I misspoke. After Googling, I see the case was dropped after a July to September 2010 investigation. Regarding bail, a condition was that he had to return to Thailand every 12 days.

A link to the concluding 2010 press release...

http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2010/12/breaking_news_mikhail_pletnev.html


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Seems I misspoke also. "Under the conditions of his bail he returned to the Thai beach resort of Pattaya (where Mr. Pletnev has owned a property for over a decade) numerous times since early July, to show his presence as instructed by the Pattaya District Court."


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