# Great and/or Favorite Rachmaninoff Symphony Recordings



## SixFootScowl

Please post with images your favorites and/or great recordings of Rachmaninoff symphonies. It can be a cycle and/or assorted individual recordings.

I don't know that I have favorites yet, but I am quite impressed with Dutoit for the Symphony 1:









For Symphony 2 I have heard a lot of good things about Zinman's recording. I have it and will say that the Vocalise with an actual vocalist is quite a treat.









I could very well keep these two on my player, but alas I have not heard of any really great recordings for Symphony #3. I am sure they are out there and hope to get some suggestions in this thread.


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## flamencosketches

Fritz Kobus said:


> Please post with images your favorites and/or great recordings of Rachmaninoff symphonies. It can be a cycle and/or assorted individual recordings.
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> I don't know that I have favorites yet, but I am quite impressed with Dutoit for the Symphony 1:
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> For Symphony 2 I have heard a lot of good things about Zinman's recording. I have it and will say that the Vocalise with an actual vocalist is quite a treat.
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> I could very well keep these two on my player, but alas I have not heard of any really great recordings for Symphony #3. I am sure they are out there and hope to get some suggestions in this thread.


Is that Zinman the full or abridged version? I'd like to hear it.


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## CnC Bartok

Too many to post all my favourite ones! I think I have half a dozen complete sets, Ormandy, Previn, Ashkenazy, Litton, Jansons and Pletmev, and each has its merits. Favourite? If pushed, this one, perhaps a surprise choice?


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## Merl

This is a cracker.


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## SixFootScowl

flamencosketches said:


> Is that Zinman the full or abridged version? I'd like to hear it.


According to *this post in another thread*, it is a "Great, under-rated recording and it is *one of the very, very few that is absolutely complete* - most "complete" versions still skip the 1st movement repeat. Zinman once again shows his ability to inspire an orchestra."


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## SixFootScowl

I suppose this one, apart from less-than-ideal sound quality, would be hard to beat for a favorite recording of the third.


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## Rogerx

View attachment 128967

A very fine set Fritz .


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## Kiki

Fritz Kobus said:


> I suppose this one, apart from less-than-ideal sound quality, would be hard to beat for a favorite recording of the third.


I have the Dutton release of these recordings. The sound quality of No. 3 is pretty good for a 1939 recording. Overall he's fast, but he also goes very slow at a few places. He also seems pedantic about maintaining the long line and the contrast in dynamics. Very nice.

As for sets, in fact I listen to No. 3 the most often and seldom give the other two a spin, but out of memory,

Ashkenazy/Concertgebouw/Sydney/Philharmonia are all exciting and straight forward (in a good sense, stripped of all excesses) to a different degree.

Jansons/St.Petersburg is the sensitive all-rounder (or boring if you don't like it).

Previn/LSO is romantic although a bit erratic at places. Pletnev/RNO is phenomenal in their precision music making.

Maazel/BPO is metropolitan (or harmless if you don't like it), and he basically had Karajan's gorgeous BPO. Svetlanov/RussianStateSO is a bit eccentric but I find that enjoyable.

The dark horse has to be Noseda/BBCPO. Another all-rounder, and in very good sound.

I'd say Ashkenazy/Concertgebouw and Jansons/St.Petersburg are probably my favourites.

















There are many releases of the individual symphonies (and the Symphonic Dances as well) that I also find enjoyable, including but not limited to the usual suspects outside of their cycles, e.g. Jurowski/LPO in No. 1; Slatkin/Detroit in No. 2; Rattle/BPO, Petrenko/RLPO, Zinman/Baltimore in No. 3, to name a few.

Not interested in the Symphonic Dances??? I think together with the third symphony and The Bells these are Rachmaninov's greatest works.


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## SixFootScowl

Rogerx said:


> View attachment 128967
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> A very fine set Fritz .


That one I have. Was the first set I bought a couple years back, but my fire for Rachmaninoff really took in the last few months. Now I want to join a Rachmaninoff forum!


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## Becca

Of the Rachmaninoff symphonies, the 1st is definitely my favourite with the 3rd coming in some ways behind it. The 2nd doesn't even make it onto the list! My first exposure to the 1st was the Ashkenazy/Concertgebouw recording which I still value. I did buy the Litton/RPO but was very disappointed in it. A more recent discovery is this live Rozhdestvensky/BBCSO performance. The sound quality is not quite that of the others but is still more than satisfactory, but what counts most is the thrilling performance.


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## CnC Bartok

^^^ Becca, shame you didn't like Litton. I don't have that many recordings from him, moderately prolific as a recording artist as he may be, but I do enjoy his Rachmaninov set, and actually his Tchaikovsky ain't too shabby neither! I find him controlled but suitability dramatic across the three, although admittedly I have a preferred recording for each piece (Symphonic Dances, Ashkenazy; No.3 Jansons;, No.2, who else but André Previn) and for the best Symphony, No.1, it's Pletnev. Have you heard that one? Really exciting, but lots more contrast than, say, Litton or indeed Previn manage.


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## SixFootScowl

CnC Bartok said:


> ^^^ Becca, shame you didn't like *Litton*. I don't have that many recordings from him, moderately prolific as a recording artist as he may be, but *I do enjoy his Rachmaninov set*, and actually his Tchaikovsky ain't too shabby neither! I find him controlled but suitability dramatic across the three, although admittedly I have a preferred recording for each piece (Symphonic Dances, Ashkenazy; No.3 Jansons;, No.2, who else but André Previn) and for the best Symphony, No.1, it's Pletnev. Have you heard that one? Really exciting, but lots more contrast than, say, Litton or indeed Previn manage.


Good to hear since I just ordered a copy of Litton for Rachmaninoff Symphony 3!


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## realdealblues

My favorite cycle is Jansons:









I will have to think hard about individual favorite recordings...


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## Radames

Previn's 1968 recording of the Rachmaninoff 3rd Symphony. I have an old tape. It was put on CD only as part of a 100 box set though. I want it on CD!


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## vincula

I really like E. Ormandy/Philadelphia SO. He gets way too little attention today. Not fair...









He did championed Rachmaninov's music and did know him as performer too. Listen to the piano concertos too!

















Regards,

Vincula


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## Kiki

^^

The Ormandy is definitely a great set! I came to it late but I found it very convincing.

I'm recently also taken by Boult's No. 3, vividly played and as fast as the composer's own recording.


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## Radames

Kiki said:


> ^^
> 
> The Ormandy is definitely a great set! I came to it late but I found it very convincing.
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> I'm recently also taken by Boult's No. 3, vividly played and as fast as the composer's own recording.


A few weeks ago I heard the Stokowski version of the 3rd Symphony. It was quite good.


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## SixFootScowl

Radames said:


> A few weeks ago I heard the Stokowski version of the 3rd Symphony. It was quite good.


Version? Interpretation or did Stokowski re-orchestrate it?


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## Radames

SixFootScowl said:


> Version? Interpretation or did Stokowski re-orchestrate it?


Sounded like the composers orchestration. Stoki may have done some of his own thing with tempi. The allegro sections are pretty fast and the adagio sections are pretty slow.


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## Kiki

Radames said:


> Sounded like the composers orchestration. Stoki may have done some of his own thing with tempi. The allegro sections are pretty fast and the adagio sections are pretty slow.


Stokowski's 1975 recording of the 3rd is very impressive, although also rather unorthodox. He certainly pulled the tempo quite a bit and his tempo choices are rather extreme at both ends. In the second movement, I can imagine his eyes lighting up when he read _ma non troppo_ for the adagio. That must have given him an urge to over-do a "not so" (in fact "not quite" :lol adagio, and he did, again with contrasting tempi, both faster and slower than what I would have anticipated. Other than that, I am very impressed by how the whole orchestra "glided" magically alongside the harp. The finale is also impressive, one of the most exciting on records. On the other hand, the first movement is IMO the least successful, where the extreme changes in tempo sound too self-indulgent to me, but like other special Stokowski recordings, over time I might get used to it.


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## Josquin13

The best "Symphonic Dances" recording I've ever heard is Ormandy's. The playing of his Philly orchestra is fantastic!:






I'm not always a fan of Ormandy's conducting (though I love his orchestra), but his Rachmaninov Symphony 1-3 set is very fine, I agree. Otherwise, I agree that Gennady Rozhdestvensky is excellent in this repertory, as is Andre Previn with the LSO. & among digital era choices, I've liked Ashkenazy's Symphony 1-3 set on Decca (& especially his "Isle of the Dead": 



), but I've not heard Litton.


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## Radames

Josquin13 said:


> I've not heard Litton.


I've heard Litton's 3rd, but I'm really stuck on that 1968 Previn recording. I can't find one I like as much.


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## mbhaub

This new set on Sony has received great reviews - for the playing, conducting and sound. So far it's only a download. Hope a physical disk becomes available.


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## SixFootScowl

Heard this one is really good:


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## JB Henson

This may be obligatory but...


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## Brahmsianhorn

No mention yet of the Rozhdestvensky/LSO 2nd? Far and away my favorite. The Adagio is perfectly paced.


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## Becca

This week I listened to the new Philadelphia/YNS recording of the 1st & Symphonic Dances, apparently a live performance recording. I was certainly impressed by the sonic qualities however it seemed to me that the symphony was just a bit too slickly done, everything well groomed, however I do think that the 1st needs a bit of (for want of a better term) rawness, so I will live with the not quite as good sound but incredible performance on the Rozhdestvensky/BBCSO/Proms. I also think highly of the Ashkenazy recording, not so much the Litton.

As to the Symphonic Dances, it is very good and is one that I will return to along with a live Berlin Phil/Sokhiev performance.


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## CnC Bartok

JB Henson said:


> This may be obligatory but...
> 
> View attachment 153991


Obligatory indeed! Shame Antal Dorati never recorded the Symphonies, I suspect they might have been quite good (!)


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