Now Hear This: Rachmaninoff Reborn, on PBS

Sergei Rachmaninoff reinvented himself more profoundly than Madonna ever has. Shortly after the Bolshevik revolution, the Rachmaninoff family was exiled with the only the contents of their luggage to their name (but it was a good name). Due to the economics of music publishing at the time, Rachmaninoff could not viably support his family as composer in America, so he launched a second career as a concert pianist, from basically nothing. Of course, he still had his reputation—and his freedom. Violinist Scott Yoo and his guests celebrate Rachmaninoff’s second life in America (and his summers on Lake Lucerne) in Rachmaninoff Reborn, the latest episode of the Great Performances sub-series, Now Hear This, which airs this Friday on PBS.

While they do not belabor the horrors of Communism, Yoo and company clearly assert a Romantic composer like Rachmaninoff could never meaningfully create under the rigid Socialist Realist aesthetics mandated by the new regime. He was lucky to get out while the getting was good. Indeed, Russian-born, British-naturalized pianist draws painful parallels between Rachmaninoff’s expatriation and the experiences of contemporary Russian artists forced into exile under Putin.

At the age of 44, Rachmaninoff essentially launched his concert career, quickly becoming one of the world’s most popular performers. Yoo and his experts argue Rachmaninoff succeeded because he had the talent. He was also one of the earliest musicians with the recorded legacy to prove it, including early 78s and a vintage player-piano roll, which are presented during special listening sessions.

As Ukrainian-American photographer explains, Rachmaninoff was also an early adopter of technology, so he left a wealth of photographs documenting his family during casual moments. Frankly, it is remarkable how well documented his life was, entirely because the traditional old Russian aristocrat was so receptive to the fruits of modernism, even including psychoanalysis.

Although his compositional output greatly slowed in America, he penned his most recognizable work in America. Shrewdly, writer-director Harry Lynch briefly teases Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini early in the program, but we only hear the full 18^th Variation, the one you really ought to recognize, towards the conclusion. It is a gorgeous piece—and maybe even more moving when presented within the full context of his second act.

Throughout the program, Yoo impresses with his relaxed and confident presence. Frankly, he is good enough at this kind of gig to host programs outside the music genre. He also plays some wonderfully sensitive interpretations of the featured composer, particularly with pianist Anna Polonsky (who emigrated to America as a student in 1990). Honestly, this is the sort of programming PBS ought to do more regularly. Highly recommended, Now Hear This: Rachmaninoff Reborn airs this Friday (4/25) on most PBS Stations.