#208 The Smell of Nerves

The first calling, that's a fanfare before a crippled waltz, before a ball of monsters. A ball taking place in a head of somebody exhausted, enervate.

Volodos jumps from creepy playing to high-toned dignity, changes tempi. He's luring us away from the sane world.

Composer: Sergei Rachmaninov
Work: Morceaux de fantaisie No 5, Serenade
Recording: Arcadi Volodos

#115 The Smell of Falling

It starts in very airy mood, like a dragonfly above a lake. But the main theme exposes our mistake: It's not a flight, it's a free fall. Yes, there's wind dragging us away but inevitably we're still falling down.

Helfgott is trying to hide here. I don't know what he's trying to say, it's too organic, too compact. There are some inclinations to happiness, to flying. Stop analyzing it–Helfgott is preluding, after all.

Composer: Sergei Rachmaninov
Work: Prelude No 12, Op. 32
Recording: David Helfgott

#93 The Smell of Ice Window

You're looking through a window pane. The landscape is lateral and before you're able to fully perceive it, the pane gets it own artwork. Ice is drawing complicated surreal shapes, you're trapped in them, trying to catch the glimpse of the real world–but what is real?

Wang is the one who can draw these shapes, precisely and with ease. It's a magical world we have a privilege to touch.

Composer: Sergei Rachmaninov
Work: Piano Concerto No 2, III. Allegro scherzando
Recording: Yuja Wang, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

#51 The Smell of Loneliness

Mariinsky cannot match the deadly drive of BPO/Levine but there's a different kind of fire. It's sparky, emotional, there's unspoken violence.

The soft solo sections are the most beautiful ones. Here stands a man, abandoned, lonely, and yet willing to survive.

Composer: Sergei Rachmaninov
Work: Piano Concerto No 3
Recording: Denis Matsuev, Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev