# Rachmaninov vs Chopin



## JackRance (Sep 13, 2021)

Who do you prefer?


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

both are great, but I agree their expressive similarities are interesting (if that's what's implied in the thread).




 (16:00)




 (6:30)
resolutions of turbulence and transitions to nocturne-like dreaminess








affinities to Slavic march-like rhythms


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I like Chopin's piano music quite a bit more, but I enjoy some Rach too, mostly certain orchestral works like the 3rd symphony, The Symphonic Dances, Isle of the Dead, his piano trios are also good. I should revisit The Bells and Vespers. I say both.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

It's difficult to compare them, since Rachmaninov wrote a ton of symphonic and vocal works in addition to the piano, and Chopin mainly concentrated on the piano. But I'm on a Chopin kick right now, so I chose him.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Since _both_ is an option of the poll, I took the fast and easy route and marked it. Truth is, I don't know very well the works of Rachmaninoff yet - I still have to come with a project of listening dedicated only to him. I can tell that I really like his second and third piano concertos (I've never heard the fourth), and that I love his second symphony (I don't know the third) though. I'm much more acquainted with Chopin at the moment and would have been tempted to vote for him if I had no option of staying with both.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Solo piano music: Chopin. But Rachmaninoff is one of the greatest in that area as well.
Piano concerto's: undecided since I haven't yeard Chopin's, yet.
The rest: Rachmaninoff 
Fine, I'll vote both.


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## Livly_Station (Jan 8, 2014)

I have to admit that I only know Rachmaninoff's most famous pieces, like the piano concertos, rhapsody on a theme of paganini, and some solo piano pieces like op. 3, 16, 23, 32 and 39. Also, _Isle of the Dead_. I haven't listened to the symphonies yet.

From Chopin, I know almost everything and I do think he's genius.

So I'm inclined to vote for Chopin, but I also rate Rachmaninoff highly. Maybe if I get more familiar with the rest of the latter's oeuvre my opinion could change.


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

I can't pinpoint my exact explanation on why I'd prefer Rachmaninoff's forms, but I prefer Rachmaninoff and his forms over Chopin.


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## 59540 (May 16, 2021)

Both of them, each for different reasons.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Apples and oranges, so I chose "Both".


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Since I am mainly focused on symphonic and operatic works, Rachmaninoff.


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

They were very different composers. Not an apt comparison.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

*Rachmaninov vs Chopin*



JackRance said:


> Who do you prefer?





dissident said:


> Both of them, each for different reasons.





Neo Romanza said:


> Apples and oranges, so I chose "Both".





Red Terror said:


> They were very different composers. Not an apt comparison.


If the meteor were hurtling towards Earth and the spaceship was leaving in a minute and I had to select the music of only one of these two geniuses to preserve for the remnants of humanity escaping the impending doom of the planet, I would reach for the Chopin, with tears in my eyes.

No one loves the music of Rachmaninoff more than I do. It's an indelible part of my musical memory: the Second Symphony, the Piano Concertos, the Paganini Rhapsody, the Symphonic Dances, the Vespers, the Cello Sonata, the Piano Trios, all that glorious music for solo piano ... and even Richard Addinsell's Warsaw Concerto!

But with Chopin we have something else. A new starting point to the art of piano music. Chopin's genius was that of a unique creator, one who drives his forms and his chosen instrument to new dimensions. I often wonder if there could have been a Rachmaninoff without Chopin, as I realize there could not have been a Warsaw Concerto without Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff's genius was as a perfector, one who took the musical forms and techniques of his age and raised them to their highest artistic level. Chopin marks the beginning of a piano music age of which Rachmaninoff is the final word.

For that future of humanity on the spaceship, they may someday produce a new Rachmaninoff if they follow the logical progression of Chopin's musical art. I'm not sure they would ever produce a new Chopin if they were left only with Rachmaninoff.

_______

I will confess here that I listen to the music of Rachmaninoff much more often than I do that of Chopin. My disc collection, on the other hand, reveals an almost equal number of CDs and LPs devoted to both composers. [My Discogs catalog currently lists 83 entries under Rachmaninoff and 87 under Chopin.]. But I definitely spin Rachmaninoff more often than Chopin. Of course, my personal tastes have nothing to do with the intrinsic value of one composer over another or of the worth of the music either produces. With that said, my selection remains Chopin. With tears (of regret and great loss) in my eyes.


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

What I said in the Mahler thread might be more true of Chopin on this particular forum. Almost everybody seems to have him somewhere in their Top 20 regardless of what their other tastes are. It means people hear very different things in Chopin or prefer very different works of his.

Not much else is more sweet and kind to my ears than Chopin's most-heartfelt and secretive posthume side:


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Why? ..........................


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## bz3 (Oct 15, 2015)

Chops, without much competition.


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