Rachmaninov Piano Concertos

[justinjalandoni]

Can anyone please tell me which piansit has the best recording of Rachmaninov's Piano Concertos?

[iumonito]

Subjective, of course:

For all five, I like Rachmaninov himself.

For 1, I like Vasary a lot as well.  For 2 there are so many!  Bolet and Moiseiwitch are at the top for me.  For 3 Horowitz/Ormandy, Bolet.  4 Kapell.  Paganini Orozco and Azhkenhazy.

[tompilk]

Zimerman's is my fave Rach 1. And probably hough for Rach 3. Never really got into Rach 4 much, but I've heard Michelangeli in the recording where he messes up the first movement. It's wonderful to dwell on such a rare occurrence...

[Petter]

Never really got into Rach 4 much, but I've heard Michelangeli in the recording where he messes up the first movement. It's wonderful to dwell on such a rare occurrence...

Hehe I wonder if that was the record I just recently bought. I bought it for the Ravel concerto though.

[mikey6]

The Ash/Previn set is good value.  Earl Wild, Hough got rave reviews though I don't really like what I've heard, Zimerman or Rach himself.
Michelangeli's 4th is the bench mark.

[mattgreenecomposer]

Horowitz for Rach 3.  there is no comparison.
Yefim Bronfman and Ashkenazy for the others.

[mikey6]

Horowitz for Rach 3.  there is no comparison.

unless of course you don't like Horowitz, then there's everyone else

[dnephi]

I like Weissenberg, Goerner, and some others, but really, Horowitz owned this piece.

[franzliszt2]

I really like Leif Ove Andsnes for Rach 2. I also like his Rach1.

For Rach 3 I like Leif Ove again, Berezovsky, Horowitz, Hough.

Rach 4 Michelangeli

I like Rachmaninoffs playing for all of them.

[richard black]

When people say 'Horowitz for number 3', bear in mind that there are rather a lot of recordings of him in that piece, not all of them currently available. You'd have to consult some serious record-collecting nutters to get the low-down. On the whole you can't go wrong with his playing on any I've heard, but some of the CDs are pretty shoddy technically - live recordings badly remastered.

[lau]

nobody likes rach 3 by volodos? which is my favorite.

 horowitz was the one who played when i first heard the concerto and i thought it was great, but now going back to it, it just seems so not that good. Sometimes i just don't get what is good about horowitz, it seems like a lot of his playing is messy, and notes flop out of nowhere a lot. This is not just in rach 3.
perhaps this is intentional, but i find it crusty.

[tds]

horowitz was the one who played when i first heard the concerto and i thought it was great, but now going back to it, it just seems so not that good. Sometimes i just don't get what is good about horowitz, it seems like a lot of his playing is messy, and notes flop out of nowhere a lot.

i hear u, lau. but do you ever wonder why rachmaninoff himself liked horowitz' playing so much?

[thalberg]

 Helene Grimaud has a very interesting Rach 2 recording.  I'm don't think it's the best, partially because I don't like the sound of the piano in the recording, but it's really interesting and worth hearing.  I like it.  (The piano is a Yamaha...so sad.)

[goldentone]

For sheer excitement and intensity, Argerich for the third.

[tds]

For sheer excitement and intensity, Argerich for the third.

yeah but i wonder if its worth listening if she had no adrenaline

[tompilk]

yeah but i wonder if its worth listening if she had no adrenaline

i think in these particular concertos, i can't imagine any performance being worth listening to without adrenaline. These are fiery, adrenalin-filled pieces for adrenalin-filled performers!

[tds]

i think in these particular concertos, i can't imagine any performance being worth listening to without adrenaline. These are fiery, adrenalin-filled pieces for adrenalin-filled performers!

yup, tho we hear total musicianship, on top of much needed fire and adrenaline, when we listen to rachmaninoff record of his own pc no. 3. something is terribly missing in argerich rendition of it, i find. but then again it's only my view. what is it worth? hah!

[Petter]

The Argerich take is the only one version I´ve heard so I´m biased, but I like it.

[tds]

argerich used to be one of my top favourite pianists. maybe she still is. but years ago tho, i thought anything argerich cant go wrong. but now certainly i do not think so anymore.

[richard black]

OK, since this thread has been revived, a suggestion I was reminded of the other night: Moiseiwitsch is just wonderful in Rachmaninov - any Rachmaninov! I've got his recordings of concertos 1, 2 and Pag Rhap. Fabulous sound he always made.

[thijsu]

I've seen the Rach 2 live in the concert hall of Amsterdam from Leif Ove Andsnes, he played it really brilliant. So he's my favorite for that one.
For the Rach 3 I'd have to go for Horowitz, and this recording in particular: https://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=5s_Oo7HcQKw&eurl

[communist]

1.no preference

2.Rachmaninoff

3.Feltsman

4.Oroczo

Paganini. Pletnev

[justinjalandoni]

How about Vladimir Ashkenazy for Piano COncerto No. 3?

[aslanov]

i never really got into the 1st or 4th, but
for the second: berezovsky, hough
for the third: bolet, ashkenazy

[imbetter]

1-richter
2-volodos
3-feltsman (EASILY the best but for some reason nobody knows of this recording)
4-rachmaninoff
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini-feltsman