# Van Cliburn on Rach's Rhapsody



## Brahmsipoo

Who has heard the 1972 recording of Van Cliburn playing Rachmaninoff's _Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini_ with Kondrashin and the Moscow Philharmonic?

I have long been familiar with the Rachmaninoff/Stokowski/Philadelphia and the Rubinstein/Reiner/CSO recordings, but when I heard Van Cliburn's interpretation the other day I just burst into laughter. It sounded like he had been taking steroids! Or perhaps had cast his hands in an iron coat...

I have a lot of respect for his recordings during the 60's (notably, his take on Rachmaninoff's _2nd Piano Concerto_), but it seems he started losing his prowess around the time of his _Rhapsody_ recording.

I think it's interesting to compare his career to several other pianists, like Richter, Rubinstein, Horowitz, Gilels, Arrau, Kempff, etc., who all kept playing beautifully for decades. Van Cliburn, lamentably, seemed to only last a little over a decade at his prime. Also interestingly, Itzhak Perlman seems to have had the same decline.

Tragic, but it gives you an appreciation for what these artists did with their ephemeral talents.


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## TWhite

Brahmsipoo said:


> Who has heard the 1972 recording of Van Cliburn playing Rachmaninoff's _Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini_ with Kondrashin and the Moscow Philharmonic?
> 
> I have long been familiar with the Rachmaninoff/Stokowski/Philadelphia and the Rubinstein/Reiner/CSO recordings, but when I heard Van Cliburn's interpretation the other day I just burst into laughter. It sounded like he had been taking steroids! Or perhaps had cast his hands in an iron coat...
> 
> I have a lot of respect for his recordings during the 60's (notably, his take on Rachmaninoff's _2nd Piano Concerto_), but it seems he started losing his prowess around the time of his _Rhapsody_ recording.
> 
> I think it's interesting to compare his career to several other pianists, like Richter, Rubinstein, Horowitz, Gilels, Arrau, Kempff, etc., who all kept playing beautifully for decades. Van Cliburn, lamentably, seemed to only last a little over a decade at his prime. Also interestingly, Itzhak Perlman seems to have had the same decline.
> 
> Tragic, but it gives you an appreciation for what these artists did with their ephemeral talents.


I've heard the Van Cliburn recording, and I agree with you completely. For myself, my favorite recording of the work is still the old Victor performance with William Kappell, Fritz Reiner and the Robin Hood Dell Orchestra (the Philadelphia Orchestra's 'summer' group). It just dances and sparkles.

Tom


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## Brahmsipoo

That's an interesting favorite recording to have. I guess I've only heard the more mainstream recordings. I may have to look into this one...


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## TWhite

Brahmsipoo said:


> That's an interesting favorite recording to have. I guess I've only heard the more mainstream recordings. I may have to look into this one...


Although the recordings of William Kappell were released by RCA on a CD set some years back, I don't think the Rachmaninov was included. My copy is an old RCA Victor LP that I've had for well over 50 years (and transferred to cassette to save the LP). The companion work on the disc is an absolutely sparkling--and quite witty-- rendition of the Beethoven Piano Concerto #2. A most unusual pairing, at least IMO, but an extremely satisfying record to listen to.

Hopefully, Kappell's Rhapsody has been issued on CD. Kappell was an extraordinary American pianist, whose career was unfortunately cut short by an airplane crash when he was returning to the US after an Austrailian concert tour. I believe he was only in his early 'thirties. An utterly magnificent pianist, IMO.

Tom


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## francooregano

Try the Rafael Orozco/Rotterdam Philharmonic version. It's on the Best of Rachmaninoff CD, along with an interesting interpretation of the 2nd Concerto (although the Entremont/Bernstein version is still the quintessential of the 2nd!). Orozco plays the Rhapsody like he was born to. The 18th variation is the most memorable and clearest interpretation I have ever heard, and the entire Rhapsody is a joy to behold.


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## kv466

It's funny you burst into laughter because I've always considered his performances and fame itself to be a joke...those others you mentioned are pretty darned solid...give the Earl Wild, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra version a shot sometime


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