# Rachmaninov - Piano Concerti (Recommendation)



## Bayreuth

So I'm thinking about getting a nice set with the 4 concertos for piano. Any suggestions?? I have seen a couple of editions with Ashkenazy playing the piano. Are they any good?


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## Orfeo

They are very good. 
My personal favorite is Vasary with Yuri Ahronovitch and the London Symphony (DG).
-->http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...nov&qid=1445363579&ref_=sr_1_1&s=music&sr=1-1

Earl Wild with Jasha Horenstein & the Royal Philharmonic is highly praised, and rightly so.
-->http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Concert...0z+gwHL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160,160_


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## Bayreuth

Orfeo said:


> They are very good.
> My personal favorite is Vasary with Yuri Ahronovitch and the London Symphony (DG).
> -->http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...nov&qid=1445363579&ref_=sr_1_1&s=music&sr=1-1
> 
> Earl Wild with Jasha Horenstein & the Royal Philharmonic is highly praised, and rightly so.
> -->http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Concert...0z+gwHL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160,160_


Thanks! Since they are quite affordable I will check them out on Spotify. I'll let you know!


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## Balthazar

I am partial to the recent recordings by Stephen Hough with Andrew Litton leading Dallas.










The composer's own recordings are interesting for reference but have quite poor sound.


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## GKC

Balthazar: don't you think the piano on the Hough recording is too buried in the soundstage? I find it hard to hear.


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## Haydn man

I have and can recommend this set


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## Pugg

Haydn man said:


> View attachment 76835
> 
> 
> I have and can recommend this set


I second this :tiphat:


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## Balthazar

GKC said:


> Balthazar: don't you think the piano on the Hough recording is too buried in the soundstage? I find it hard to hear.


I have no trouble hearing the piano, but I see what you mean -- the piano sound isn't so isolated and highlighted. Perhaps it has something to do with the live recording process?

I rather like how the piano at times blends seamlessly into the orchestra. There is little of the banging that Rach recordings are frequently criticized for. I'll give these another listen today...


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## joen_cph

There are several Ashkenazys, inclduing the early set with Previn and the later one with Haitink, plus the earliest no.3 with Fistoulari. The 3rd with Previn has an unusual, impressive broadness, including in the cadenza - quite a fascinating contrast to most other recordings.

Some interesting single recordings are

- Richter/DG in 2, Lang-Lang/DG
- Argerich in 3 + the early, historical, poor sound Horowitz ones such as with Reiner, Barbirolli and Coates
- Michelangeli in 4
- Rubinstein/Sabata in the Paganini Rapsody (historical, poor sound)


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## Blancrocher

SweetJesus said:


> So I'm thinking about getting a nice set with the 4 concertos for piano. Any suggestions?? I have seen a couple of editions with Ashkenazy playing the piano. Are they any good?


Fwiw, I think Ashkenazy/Previn is great (and can usually be had very cheaply). If you'd like a larger box including other famous symphonic works, Jansons is also an excellent option:

http://www.amazon.com/Symphonies-Pi...445697154&sr=8-2&keywords=rachmaninov+jansons


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## davidsannderson

I joined specificly to give you guys my reccomendation. This may be my only post since you often focus on post-ww1 composers and I don't want to to comment on them until I have much more experience with them, which I might never have- I love my 19th-century, Debussy/Stravinsky-era and Baroque composers Soooooo much, but who knows....
Anyway, I reccomend Rachmaninoff's own recordings.
First, and most importantly- these performances may change your life. Really.
second, it is the composer himself.
3rd, he is maybe the greatest pianist in history.
finally, the sound. I know there is hiss in the background, but the Presence of the music... Oh. My. God. It feels like Rachmaninoff, the piano and the entire Philadelphia Orchestra is two feet away... or less!
And the way Rachmaninoff and the Orchestra perform..... Wow. Seriously, maybe my favorite recording of anything, including Led Zeppelin and the Bohm/Birgit Nilsson Tristan.

Just my two cents' worth.


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## Judith

davidsannderson said:


> I joined specificly to give you guys my reccomendation. This may be my only post since you often focus on post-ww1 composers and I don't want to to comment on them until I have much more experience with them, which I might never have- I love my 19th-century, Debussy/Stravinsky-era and Baroque composers Soooooo much, but who knows....
> Anyway, I reccomend Rachmaninoff's own recordings.
> First, and most importantly- these performances may change your life. Really.
> second, it is the composer himself.
> 3rd, he is maybe the greatest pianist in history.
> finally, the sound. I know there is hiss in the background, but the Presence of the music... Oh. My. God. It feels like Rachmaninoff, the piano and the entire Philadelphia Orchestra is two feet away... or less!
> And the way Rachmaninoff and the Orchestra perform..... Wow. Seriously, maybe my favorite recording of anything, including Led Zeppelin and the Bohm/Birgit Nilsson Tristan.
> 
> Just my two cents' worth.


Love Rachmaninov 2 & 3 piano concerto, 2nd symphony, Vocalise and prelude op 23. These are just to name a few of his works. Magical composer.


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## Pat Fairlea

If you want all four concerti and PagRhap by the same performers, then Askenazy is a good choice. But why not sample around? Entremont recorded a fine version of 4th on vinyl in 1960s. Argerich's 3rd is too manic for me. Lisitsa's 2nd is lovely. And Stephen Hough is an excellent Rachmaninoff interpreter, in my opinion. Others will disagree, which is as it should be.


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## Strange Magic

Judith said:


> Love Rachmaninov 2 & 3 piano concerto, 2nd symphony, Vocalise and prelude op 23. These are just to name a few of his works. Magical composer.


One of Rachmaninoff's many attractions for me is his affection for what I call the _clangor_ of the piano, in its bell- or chime- or gong-like, percussive mode. This permeates many of the Preludes and the Etudes-Tableaux, but also his delightful two-piano suites and the two-piano version of the Symphonic Dances. The Ashkenazy/Previn double CD is a great intro to the duo-piano material, and you get the Corelli Variations and some other gems as well.


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## Pat Fairlea

Strange Magic said:


> One of Rachmaninoff's many attractions for me is his affection for what I call the _clangor_ of the piano, in its bell- or chime- or gong-like, percussive mode. This permeates many of the Preludes and the Etudes-Tableaux, but also his delightful two-piano suites and the two-piano version of the Symphonic Dances. The Ashkenazy/Previn double CD is a great intro to the duo-piano material, and you get the Corelli Variations and some other gems as well.


Rachmaninov loved bells and his music often chimes, tolls and tintinabulates.
For the Suites for 2Pianos, yes Ashkenazy and Previn are great, but also try Donohoe and Roscoe for a really bouncy, energetic rendering. Those two also do a wonderful reading of the Symphonic Dances.
I seem to have wandered off the concerti, sorry. Tell you what, that Moura Lympany recorded a fine 2nd concerto back in the day.


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## Pugg

davidsannderson said:


> I joined specificly to give you guys my reccomendation. This may be my only post since you often focus on post-ww1 composers and I don't want to to comment on them until I have much more experience with them, which I might never have- I love my 19th-century, Debussy/Stravinsky-era and Baroque composers Soooooo much, but who knows....
> Anyway, I reccomend Rachmaninoff's own recordings.
> First, and most importantly- these performances may change your life. Really.
> second, it is the composer himself.
> 3rd, he is maybe the greatest pianist in history.
> finally, the sound. I know there is hiss in the background, but the Presence of the music... Oh. My. God. It feels like Rachmaninoff, the piano and the entire Philadelphia Orchestra is two feet away... or less!
> And the way Rachmaninoff and the Orchestra perform..... Wow. Seriously, maybe my favorite recording of anything, including Led Zeppelin and the Bohm/Birgit Nilsson Tristan.
> 
> Just my two cents' worth.


Do stay with us, always nice hearing new opinions.


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## davidsannderson

Pugg said:


> Do stay with us, always nice hearing new opinions.


Thank you, I'm sure I will comment occasionally. This is one of my favorite forums to read.
Mostly I just wanted to send MYSELF a message, to protect me against saying something foolish about post-ww1 composers or the non-Mozart Classical Style (excluding Beethoven's era, he's a Romantic to me.) Sometimes I get jealous of all the attention modern composers get, as opposed to my beloved Romantics (including Beethoven and Mozart*), Early Modernists and Baroques. I know, pretty foolish, and so I just wanted to avoid making myself look like a fool. Especially since I might come around to Haydn, Schostakovich and Bartok after all- they are great, just for me they pale in comparison to people like Rachmaninoff right now.
*And to me, many of Mozart's late works- especially the Mass in C, Operas and Requiem- are Romantic and Classical at the same time.
**And thanks for the welcome.
But that first post was special. I had to share my love of those recordings- and my impression of the sound quality- with you guys.
Have a nice day!


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## Pugg

davidsannderson said:


> Thank you, I'm sure I will comment occasionally. This is one of my favourite forums to read.
> Mostly I just wanted to send MYSELF a message, to protect me against saying something foolish about post-ww1 composers or the non-Mozart Classical Style (excluding Beethoven's era, he's a Romantic to me.) Sometimes I get jealous of all the attention modern composers get, as opposed to my beloved Romantics (including Beethoven and Mozart*), Early Modernists and Baroques. I know, pretty foolish, and so I just wanted to avoid making myself look like a fool. Especially since I might come around to Haydn, Schostakovich and Bartok after all- they are great, just for me they pale in comparison to people like Rachmaninoff right now.
> *And to me, many of Mozart's late works- especially the Mass in C, Operas and Requiem- are Romantic and Classical at the same time.
> **And thanks for the welcome.
> But that first post was special. I had to share my love of those recordings- and my impression of the sound quality- with you guys.
> Have a nice day!


That is so nice from you, and please do participate, there are a lots of threads by all composers.


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## davidsannderson

Pugg said:


> Do stay with us, always nice hearing new opinions.


In fact, I have just left replies to two other threads, both replies about Rachmaninoff.
Thanks again for the welcome! I guess I'm not as much a fool as I thought!


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## Pugg

davidsannderson said:


> In fact, I have just left replies to two other threads, both replies about Rachmaninoff.
> Thanks again for the welcome! I guess I'm not as much a fool as I thought!


And I did the same too you.


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## arnerich

leif ove andsnes is my choice for the third


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## mstar

davidsannderson said:


> Anyway, I reccomend Rachmaninoff's own recordings.
> * First, and most importantly- these performances may change your life. * Really.
> second, it is the composer himself.
> 3rd, he is maybe the greatest pianist in history.
> finally, the sound. I know there is hiss in the background, but the Presence of the music... Oh. My. God. It feels like Rachmaninoff, the piano and the entire Philadelphia Orchestra is two feet away... or less!
> And the way Rachmaninoff and the Orchestra perform..... Wow. Seriously, maybe my favorite recording of anything, including Led Zeppelin and the Bohm/Birgit Nilsson Tristan.
> 
> Just my two cents' worth.


Hello and welcome. 
This sounds interesting - would you like to elaborate? 
My profile picture says all, by the way.

To answer the OP:

I myself tend to stick with the original (Rachmaninoff) recordings, even though I'm familiar with the Berezovsky 2nd and 4th, Nasseri 1st, and Horowitz 3rd. All can be found on YouTube.

Of these, the ones most worth listening to are the Berezovsky 2nd and Horowitz 3rd. And just a warning: The Rachmaninoff recordings can be difficult to become accustomed to. His style is... very Rachmaninoff. I don't know how else to say it.

A side note: 
You may have heard of the newer Valentina Lisitsa recordings. She tries to play them like Rachmaninoff, but, in my opinion, as long as the original recordings exist, this is quite pointless. The only benefit I see to this would be the better sound quality (_still_ not worth it).


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## howlingfantods

Bayreuth said:


> So I'm thinking about getting a nice set with the 4 concertos for piano. Any suggestions?? I have seen a couple of editions with Ashkenazy playing the piano. Are they any good?


I find Ashkenazy as the soloist a little syrupy myself. For full sets, Wild/Horenstein is probably my favorite, but Hough/Litton, Kocsis/de Waart, Thibaudet/Ashkenazy, and Andsnes/Pappano are all really good. And Rach himself is of course authoritative (although I feel maybe a little dryer than is my real ideal).

Not sure that one should shop for these as a set though, the reality is I listen to 2 and 3 many times more than i listen to 1 and 4. 2 and 3 have great non-set versions--Richter/Sanderling in #2 is basically unmatched, Yuja Wang/Dudamel and Janis/Dorati have great #2 and #3s.


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## Scarr

joen_cph said:


> There are several Ashkenazys, inclduing the early set with Previn and the later one with Haitink, plus the earliest no.3 with Fistoulari. The 3rd with Previn has an unusual, impressive broadness, including in the cadenza - quite a fascinating contrast to most other recordings.
> 
> Some interesting single recordings are
> 
> - Richter/DG in 2, Lang-Lang/DG
> - Argerich in 3 + the early, historical, poor sound Horowitz ones such as with Reiner, Barbirolli and Coates
> - Michelangeli in 4
> - Rubinstein/Sabata in the Paganini Rapsody (historical, poor sound)


Argerich and Michelangeli for me. Argerich is stunning.


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## mstar

Has anybody heard "5", by the way? I know - he didn't write it himself. It's based on the 2nd Symphony. I probably would never have listened it to myself since it's not "original", but I became familiar with it before I knew he didn't compose it. 
Surprisingly, it's definitely worth a listen. YouTube has a nice Schmitt-Leonardy recording.


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## Woodduck

Rachmaninoff played his concertos like no one else. He was simultaneously cool, heroic, and poetic. His fine sense of rubato - imaginative, infinitely subtle, never exaggerated - and his ability to execute the most complex and delicate filigree with utter clarity and a nonchalance which is never superficial, made him an aristocrat of the piano. Defying the impression we sometimes have of his music, he played without a trace of sentimental indulgence or histrionics, and from under his huge, powerful, sensitive hands these works emerge in their full stature.

Of others I have, Wild is exciting but driven, Hough consciously taking a Rach-like approach but missing too much of the poetry. Horowitz's Third is incomparable in its own way (Rachmaninoff agreed) and must always be heard, Ashkenazy is warm (under Previn or Haitink) and a solid recommendation, there's a gorgeous, meditative First Concerto by Volkov, an interesting Second by Katchen, and a classic Third by Cliburn. Many like Argerich in the Third; for me she's a little overheated, more Argerich than Rachmaninoff.

Whatever your modern preferences, give the composer a chance to teach you something about his music and about playing the piano. The sound is boxy and shallow, but it doesn't matter.


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## Pugg

mstar said:


> Has anybody heard "5", by the way? I know - he didn't write it himself. It's based on the 2nd Symphony. I probably would never have listened it to myself since it's not "original", but I became familiar with it before I knew he didn't compose it.
> Surprisingly, it's definitely worth a listen. YouTube has a nice Schmitt-Leonardy recording.


I surely didn't, now I will, thank you very much.


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## Animal the Drummer

I have the Schmitt-Leonardy CD. It makes for an interesting listen, and the performance is excellent, but in the end I prefer my Rachmaninov "neat".


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## Janspe

mstar said:


> Has anybody heard "5", by the way? I know - he didn't write it himself. It's based on the 2nd Symphony.


I've heard it. It's an arrangement made by the Ukrainian (?) pianist/arranger/composer Alexander Warenberg. I'm not a huge fan of the work - there's some interesting piano writing here and there, but a lot of the musical material is left out. In addition, I think the piece as a whole struggles to sound balanced; the pianist is occasionally drowned by the orchestra, and when everybody's playing, I feel like there's just a bit too much going on - something that I never experience when listening to the real Rachmaninoff concertos. Anyhow, there are a few versions available in YouTube in case anyone's interested - I do agree that such an attempt at arrangement is certainly worth a listen. There's also a video of Valentina Lisitsa playing just the solo piano part, I think it gives an interesting insight into Warenberg's piano writing:






Reading through the comments, I found some remarks by Lisitsa concerning the piece and performing it:



> -- I both love and hate the piece. I put so much work into making it palatable that I wouldn't part with it without at least making this little tribute video. This was my last performance. -- The performance with the orchestra was quite comical if it wouldn't be such a disaster. The orchestral writing is so thick and clumsy that they sounded like a herd of cows. Poor pianist (myself) was just waving arms and no sound would come out that would compete with the orchestra - and the bells. We need Rimsky-Korsakov to work on this orchestration. Then the piece would be priceless.


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## davidsannderson

[First, and most importantly- these performances may change your life.]


mstar said:


> Hello and welcome.
> This sounds interesting - would you like to elaborate?
> My profile picture says all, by the way.


I wish I could put it in words. It takes you to such an amazing place, and you don't feel like you're just listening to the music- it surrounds you. I've never heard an orchestra like that, and Rachmaninoff and the orchestra just seem to be one. It's such a huge experience.


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## Scarr

I know what you mean about Argerich but it is an exhilerating performance. I like the Entremont performance with Ozawa.


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## andrzejmakal

Boris Berezovsky for Mirare


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## Pugg

Nikolai Lugansky (piano) City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo.
Sublime.


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## hpowders

Ashkenazy for a complete set, though I would rather choose each concerto by individual merit.

I love Cliburn in No. 3.


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## padraic

I think the Lisitsa set is tremendous.


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## Oldhoosierdude

Andsnes seems to believe that playing Rachmaninov doesn't always mean playing harder and louder.


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## chill782002

The recordings by Rachmaninov himself with Stokowski and Ormandy are definitive for me, even if the sound isn't the best by today's standards.


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## Animal the Drummer

Oldhoosierdude said:


> View attachment 96645
> 
> Andsnes seems to believe that playing Rachmaninov doesn't always mean playing harder and louder.


Good call. The orchestral accompaniment on that set is top-notch too.


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## Roger Knox

Lots of great choices but I think now Daniil Trifonov in the Rachmaninov 3rd cannot be ignored.

This may be redundant, but I don't like these: Rach (for Rachmaninov) or Khatch (for Khatchaturian). Bach is OK!


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## eternum1968

I suggest the second by Licad & Abbado


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## Ras

*Trifonov in Rachmaninov 2 and 4 from DGG.*



Roger Knox said:


> Lots of great choices but I think now Daniil Trifonov in the Rachmaninov 3rd cannot be ignored.


On the way in October:

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Daniil Trifonov (piano)
Rachmaninov: Suite From Partita In E For Violin (after J S Bach)
Daniil Trifonov (piano)
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Op. 40
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Daniil Trifonov (piano)

www.prestoclassical.co.uk says:
>>>Grammy winner Daniil Trifonov presents a cycle of Sergei Rachmaninov's highly virtuosic Piano Concertos.
Recorded with Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra, the orchestra most closely associated with the composer with which Rachmaninov himself famously recorded the set of concerti over 80 years ago.
The two-part "Journey with Rachmaninov" begins with DESTINATION RACHMANINOV - DEPARTURE, including the great Piano Concerto No. 2, probably Rachmaninov's best-loved work, paired with the equally beautiful and rarely performed 4th Concerto. These voluminous works are contrasted with a taste of Rachmaninov the master miniaturist, with solo piano transcriptions of Bach's Partita in E Major.<<<


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## Josquin13

In addition to Rachmaninov's own recordings, I think highly of the set from pianist Agustin Anievas & conductor Rafael Frübeck de Burgos (along with Wild/Horenstein, Ashkenazy/Previn, and Vasary/Ahronovitch):

https://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninov-...pID=61ew05AQSnL&preST=_SX342_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
https://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninoff...=B000003FGS&psc=1&refRID=HQV055E9WB1F0JYE15DC
https://www.amazon.com/Piano-Concer...d=1531164109&sr=1-2&keywords=wild+rachmaninov

Among individual recordings, I wouldn't want to be with Vladimir Horowitz, Emil Gilels, Lazar Berman, and Bruno Leonardo Gelber in the Rach 3rd, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli in the 4th, and Sviatoslav Richter in the 2nd:

https://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninoff..._rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=0GRTZRE7CE8AY00FYHQ1
https://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninov-...rr&keywords=bruno+leonardo+gelber+rachmaninov
https://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninov-...pID=51H87PJZ8LL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
https://www.amazon.com/Piano-Concer...pID=51lSZuz5SxL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
https://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninoff...pID=61O6y1QLG-L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
https://www.amazon.com/Ravel-Concer...pID=61s2e5uxgNL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Among digital era sets, Mikhail Rudy's EMI set is good (along with Ashkenazy & Haitink).

My two cents.


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## Larkenfield




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## Rogerx

Ras said:


> On the way in October:
> 
> Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
> The Philadelphia Orchestra
> Yannick Nézet-Séguin
> Daniil Trifonov (piano)
> Rachmaninov: Suite From Partita In E For Violin (after J S Bach)
> Daniil Trifonov (piano)
> Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Op. 40
> The Philadelphia Orchestra
> Yannick Nézet-Séguin
> Daniil Trifonov (piano)
> 
> www.prestoclassical.co.uk says:
> >>>Grammy winner Daniil Trifonov presents a cycle of Sergei Rachmaninov's highly virtuosic Piano Concertos.
> Recorded with Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra, the orchestra most closely associated with the composer with which Rachmaninov himself famously recorded the set of concerti over 80 years ago.
> The two-part "Journey with Rachmaninov" begins with DESTINATION RACHMANINOV - DEPARTURE, including the great Piano Concerto No. 2, probably Rachmaninov's best-loved work, paired with the equally beautiful and rarely performed 4th Concerto. These voluminous works are contrasted with a taste of Rachmaninov the master miniaturist, with solo piano transcriptions of Bach's Partita in E Major.<<<


And they are stunning!


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## dismrwonderful

The Ashkenazy set is very good. There are no cuts and the original cadenzas are used. But I would concentrate on various performances of the PC#3. This is the piece worth exploring performances of. The recommendations for this piece are endless, but I would google the piece into into your browser and start with You Tube. Enjoy.

Dan


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## SixFootScowl

Nobody mentioned this one. Is it not good?


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## SixFootScowl

davidsannderson said:


> Anyway, I reccomend Rachmaninoff's own recordings.
> First, and most importantly- these performances may change your life. Really.
> second, it is the composer himself.
> 3rd, he is maybe the greatest pianist in history.
> finally, the sound. I know there is hiss in the background, but the Presence of the music... Oh. My. God. It feels like Rachmaninoff, the piano and the entire Philadelphia Orchestra is two feet away... or less!
> And the way Rachmaninoff and the Orchestra perform..... Wow. Seriously, maybe my favorite recording of anything, including Led Zeppelin and the Bohm/Birgit Nilsson Tristan.
> 
> Just my two cents' worth.


Anyone, not just the quoted post author, please point me to the best sounding edition of the Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff set.


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## flamencosketches

Fritz Kobus said:


> Anyone, not just the quoted post author, please point me to the best sounding edition of the Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff set.











This is the one I have, I can't imagine the sound getting a whole lot better.


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## Roger Knox

flamencosketches said:


> View attachment 127342
> 
> 
> This is the one I have, I can't imagine the sound getting a whole lot better.


I would just like to put in a plea for open ears! In the late 1960's one of the main reasons for my interest in recordings was historical performances e.g. RCA Victor's Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff. Then, through the International Piano Library my ears were opened to other great pianists of the past, on discs with what is euphemistically now called "archival" sound. In music where there are differing interpretations it helps to hear at least one of the older classics.


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## howlingfantods

Fritz Kobus said:


> Anyone, not just the quoted post author, please point me to the best sounding edition of the Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff set.


https://www.pristineclassical.com/products/pasc544?_pos=2&_sid=662952dbe&_ss=r

More hiss than the other transfers I've heard but a much fuller and richer sound, a good tradeoff for me.


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## flamencosketches

I just listened to the famous Cliburn/Reiner/Chicago recording of Rachmaninoff's 2nd concerto, and really was blown away. Such great, lyrical playing. Excellent conducting and orchestral playing. I have listened to this recording several times in the past but it never clicked with me until now. One thing I will say is that I think the piano is underpowered in the mix. Still, I think I prefer the Richter/Wislocki/Warsaw and of course the Rachmaninoff/Stokowski/Philadelphia. Damn, now I really would like to hear these new Daniel Trifonov recordings with Yannick Nezet Seguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Those sound great.


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## starthrower

I'm not much of a Rach listener. I have the Mikhail Rudy/Jansons set. And a concertos CD by Andre Watts. I don't know if these are considered good or non-competitive? I trust Woodduck's opinion that the composer played them the best.


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## Rubens

One set by one pianist/orchestra? Trifonov/Philadelphia without a doubt.
For individual selections I'd go with:
1. Trifonov
2. Richter
3. Berman
4. Michelangeli
Rhapsody: Trifonov


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## Enthusiast

They are not works I have collected fanatically but of the three sets I have these are my favourites.

















I see you can now get them in a very cheap 8 CD set with many of Previn's (orchestral) Rachmaninov recordings (generally very good) and some solo piano music (again from Lugansky). If you don't already have those recordings this offer seems like a no brainer.


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