# Favorite Rachmaninoff recordings



## speekless (Jun 4, 2019)

What are your personal favourite recordings of Rachmaninoff performances? Both faithful-to-the-original and opiniated.


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## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

Have a lovely set performed live by Stephen Hough with Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Andrew Litton


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## Ekim the Insubordinate (May 24, 2015)

Several.

I have the above-mentioned Stephen Hough recording of the Piano Concertos and Paganini, and love it.
The Slatkin/Detroit recording of the 2nd Symphony, paired with a gorgeous orchestration of Vocalise, on Naxos is also great.
Howard Shelley's cycle of the solo piano works on Hyperion is not all wonderful, but I am quite happy with them.
I really love the Borodin Trio's recording of the Elegiac Piano Trios on Chandos.
Finally, Paul Hillier's recording of the All-Night Vigil on Harmonia Mundia is a wonderful recording of some of Rach's sacred choral music.


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Symphony No. 2: Rozhdestvensky/London Symphony and Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra (1975 RCA version)
Piano Concerto No. 3: Janis/Dorati London Symphony


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

For all the concertos: Earl Wild and Jascha Horenstein on Chandos - from and old Reader's Digest set. Despite many versions since - and I've bought my share! - still the most exciting.

For only the 2 really famous concertos, 2 & 3, Byron Janis on Mercury with Antal Dorati. Sublime.

The symphonies complete: I don't care what the critics think, Dutoit with Philadelphia is superb.

For the complete 2nd only: David Zinman on Telarc. Virtually complete - first movement repeat and all. Thrilling.

For the operas: Jarvi on DG is impossible to beat so far.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

For symphonic works I like this one. I bought the four disks separately as I was unaware it was packaged as a set.
Here is a nice deal on it.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Hiowever, I have heard that Ormandy is the way to go:



> Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra were Rachmaninoff's chosen conductor and orchestra: the composer's own recordings have been available since they were made in the 1920's and 30's. Ormandy recorded Symphony II four times (Minneapolis, Philadelphia(mono LP), Philadelphia (stereo Columbia) and Philadelphia (stereo RCA). The latter RCA recording was the first reading to open all the cuts that Rachmaninoff agreed to with Ormandy for his earlier interpretations: I've heard both live, and Rachmaninoff was right to authorize the cuts: they make the musical drama much more straightforward and effective, IMHO.


https://classicalmusicguide.com/viewtopic.php?t=49009#top


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

SixFootScowl said:


> For symphonic works I like this one. I bought the four disks separately as I was unaware it was packaged as a set.
> Here is a nice deal on it.


That's a weird cd cover. It says the orchestra is the Montreal group. But the back clearly - and correctly - identifies it as Philadelphia. Anyway, great set. And to think I paid full price....


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

mbhaub said:


> That's a weird cd cover. It says the orchestra is the Montreal group. But the back clearly - and correctly - identifies it as Philadelphia. Anyway, great set. And to think I paid full price....


Ha, I didn't notice that. Strange. I only have the individual CDs which look like this in different colors (red, orange, blue, green). I assume your jewel cases have different artwork since mine is a different label.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

No, those are the original Deccas I have. Great sound.


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## Bernamej (Feb 24, 2014)

For Rach 3 the hyper nervous Argerich and Chailly.
for Rach 2, Helene Grimaud.


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## 6Strings (Feb 16, 2021)

I like Daniil Trofonov's new Piano Concerto series and Nicholas Lugansky for the solo works.


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## Rmathuln (Mar 21, 2018)

For Symphony No. 2, Temirkanov with the Royal P. O.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Favorite all around set:








Mariss Jansons with Mikhail Rudy on Piano and the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra
Isle Of The Dead
Piano Concertos 1-4 
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini
Scherzo In D
Symphonic Dances
Symphonies 1-3

In the Piano Concertos and Paganini Variations of course Vladimir Ashkenazy/Andre Previn/London Symphony are excellent.

In the Symphonies Vladimir Ashkenazy/Concertgebouw are of course excellent.

Individual recordings:
Piano Concerto #1
Byron Janis/Kirill Kondrashin/Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra
Byron Janis/Fritz Reiner/Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Piano Concerto #2
Sviatoslav Richter/Stanislaw Wislock/Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra
Byron Janis/Antal Dorati/Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
Arthur Rubinstein/Fritz Reiner/Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Van Cliburn/Fritz Reiner/Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Piano Concerto #3
Byron Janis/Charles Munch/Boston Symphony Orchestra
Martha Argerich/Riccardo Chailly/Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra

Variations On A Theme Of Paganini
Arthur Rubinstein/Fritz Reiner/Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Leon Fleisher/George Szell/Cleveland Orchestra
Gary Graffman/Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic
Van Cliburn/Eugene Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra

Symphony #2
Paul Paray/Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Eugene Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra (1973)
Antonio Pappano/St. Cecilia Academy Orchestra


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

^ Nice. I wonder why they didn't do one more disk and include The Rock and The Bells.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

SixFootScowl said:


> ^ Nice. I wonder why they didn't do one more disk and include The Rock and The Bells.


Not sure why he didn't record more Rachmaninoff back then. I know he's recorded The Bells for BR Klassik in 2016 along with the Symphonic Dances, but I haven't heard it.


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

I'm not a huge fan of the 4th piano concerto, but the pianism on Michelangeli's recording is positively jaw-dropping.


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