# Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #1 -- Favorite Recordings



## SixFootScowl

I could not find a thread specifically on Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto #1 so here we go. I am looking for great recordings as well as any other discussion, including comparison of the original and revised versions. I know there is *one recording of the original on CD* (and there is one on *You Tube)*.

As I only have three versions of Concerto #1 on CD (and a 4th on order) I am not ready to state a favorite, but here is one that I believe is essential to any Rachmaninoff fan (including all the concertos and the Paganini variations), 








but please, if you wish to go into discussion of concertos other than #1, *here is a thread for your posting pleasure*. However, if discussion of other concertos is for comparison to Concerto 1 in a manner relevant to discussing the merits of Concerto #1, then by all means post here.


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## flamencosketches

I love the Ashkenazy/Haitink recording. The Rachmaninov/Ormandy is of course a classic as well.


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## Brahmsianhorn




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## Triplets

Earl Wild/Horenstein/Royal PO


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## SixFootScowl

Triplets said:


> Earl Wild/Horenstein/Royal PO


That one I have. Will give it a listen next (on Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff PC1 right now)


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## Triplets

SixFootScowl said:


> That one I have. Will give it a listen next (on Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff PC1 right now)


I really like the way that Horenstein conducts in these Concertos. There is a certain toughness and thinning of the schmaltz that has come to fatten these pieces since Rachmaninoff made his own recordings


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## Rogerx

Trifonov/ Nézet-Séguin
Ashkenazy/Haitink
Trpčeski/ Vasily Petrenko
Kocsis/ de Waart 
Ashkenazy/ Previn


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## Josquin13

The best that I've heard, placed in order of my preferences per recording era:

I. Stereo era:

1. Augustin Anievas/New Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Rafael Frübeck de Burgos:














https://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninov-...vas+rachmaninov&qid=1581069735&s=music&sr=1-1

2. Tamas Vasary/London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Yuri Ahronovitch: 




https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Pia...ary+rachmaninov&qid=1581069773&s=music&sr=1-2

3. Earl Wild, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Jascha Horenstein: 




4. Bryon Janis, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Kyril Kondrashin: 




5. Vladimir Ashkenazy/London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andre Previn: 



.

II. Digital era:

1. Zoltan Kocsis, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Edo de Waart: 




2. Vladimir Ashkenazy, Concertgebouw Orchestrea, conducted by Bernard Haitink: 




III. Historical era (mono):

1. Serge Rachmaninov/Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Ormandy: 




2. Sviatoslav Richter, USSR RTV Large Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Kurt Sanderling: 




3. Moura Lympany/Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Nikolai Malko:


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## Ras

K. Zimerman with S. Ozawa/Boston Symphony Orch. on DG.


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## SixFootScowl

I'll look over these latest suggestions in due time. Meanwhile, anyone for this one? It is the one my pianist-music-major-Rachmaninoff-fan friend recommended:


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## flamencosketches

SixFootScowl said:


> I'll look over these latest suggestions in due time. Meanwhile, anyone for this one? It is the one my pianist-music-major-Rachmaninoff-fan friend recommended:


Looks great. I'm a fan of the Entremont/Ormandy collaborations. But I've not heard this one.


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## SixFootScowl

flamencosketches said:


> Looks great. I'm a fan of the Entremont/Ormandy collaborations. But I've not heard this one.


There does not appear to be a complete concerto cycle with Entremont. When I look up* the companion disk* for concertos 2 and 3, they list two pianists (Andrea Watts for PC3).


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## Cortot

Rachmaninoff really wanted this concerto to be famous, i think he doesn't play the second and third concerto passionately (at Rachmaninoff's standards), probably bored because he was playing too much but his record in this first concerto is great, one of his best. 

The recording of Benno Moiseiwitsch (one of Rachmaninoff's favorite pianists) is also quite beautiful.


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## bluto32

A few have already mentioned the Haitink/Ashkenazy recording - that one is my favourite of the half a dozen I have heard. The opening is explosive with both orchestra and piano absolutely bang-on time with the big chords. The dream-like waltz towards the end of the second movement is gorgeous too. I feel Ashkenazy has more drive in the first movement in this reading than with Previn.


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## realdealblues

Looking through my CD's I have:

Byron Janis/Fritz Reiner
Byron Janis/Kirill Kondrashin
Earl Wild/Jascha Horenstein
Mikhail Rudy/Mariss Jansons
Philippe Entremont/Eugene Ormandy
Vladimir Ashkenazy/Andre Previn
Vladimir Ashkenazy/Bernard Haitink
Zoltan Kocsis/Edo de Waart

I like all of them.

Of the double recordings, I think I prefer Ashkenazy with Previn more than Haitink and as much as I like Janis with Reiner I think the Kondrashin recording edges it out. I think the Rudy/Jansons recording is overlooked and underrated as he's not a "big" name, but yeah, I think they are all pretty excellent. Hard to really choose a favorite for me.


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## Judith

Have the Stephen Hough set of Rachmaninov Piano Concertos with no 1 included and love it


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## DarkAngel

Cortot said:


> Rachmaninoff really wanted this concerto to be famous, i think he doesn't play the second and third concerto passionately (at Rachmaninoff's standards), probably bored because he was playing too much but his record in this first concerto is great, one of his best.
> 
> The recording of *Benno Moiseiwitsch* (one of Rachmaninoff's favorite pianists) is also quite beautiful.


Pristine XR has brilliant remaster of this, you must check this HD sound sample............
Benno has fully mastered the romantic sweep of these works, no wonder the composer was impressed

https://www.pristineclassical.com/products/pasc358?_pos=6&_sid=8cbbf684d&_ss=r


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