Liszt or Rachmaninoff

[pianoisthebest23]

Which composer do you prefer, Liszt or Rachmaninoff 

[patrickd]

Rachmaninoff

[williampiano]

Rachmaninoff 

[pianoisthebest23]

Agreed 

[j_menz]

Liszt. 

[stoudemirestat]

Liszt.

I love both though, however Liszt is my favourite composer. As a pianist I think that Liszt simply destroys Rachmaninoff in solo piano achievement, although Rach's piano concerti surpass Liszt's (3 is my favourite piano concerto by anyone, and 2 is up there).

My favourite composition by Rachmaninoff is 'Isle of the Dead,' and his orchestration on the whole was better than Liszt's (although Liszt did improve after the 60s). However, Liszt was very influental as an orchestral composer and if not for him pieces like the Isle of the Dead probably wouldn't exist today. Rachmaninoff was a huge fan of some of Liszt's tone poems and also the Dante Symphony. Personally, I like Les Preludes as much as Isle of the Dead, and also I like both of Liszt's symphonies better than any of Rach's.

I prefer Christus to Vespers, and prefer Liszt as a choral composer in general.

Overall, while I love them both, Liszt gets the edge by quite a wide margin. The fact that Liszt was a far more influential and important composer helps his cause, too.

[chopinlisztfan 6869]

It's a good contest. Liszt specialised in solo works, and his technical works were exceptional. His transcendental études with the devil's violinist were incredible, and I particularly adore liebestraum no 3. However, Rach absolutely dominated when it comes to piano concertos. I enjoy Rach's works more because they evoke emotions more than Liszt. In complexity, they rival each other, like no other composer. Possibly with Chopin close behind.

They both had humongous hands, but Rach's hands were a bit bigger.

[chopinlisztfan 6869]

It's a good contest. Liszt specialised in solo works, and his technical works were exceptional. His transcendental études with the devil's violinist were incredible, and I particularly adore liebestraum no 3. However, Rach absolutely dominated when it comes to piano concertos. I enjoy Rach's works more because they evoke emotions more than Liszt. In complexity, they rival each other, like no other composer. Possibly with Chopin close behind.

They both had humongous hands, but Rach's hands were a bit bigger.

[nightwindsonata]

It's a good contest. Liszt specialised in solo works, and his technical works were exceptional. His transcendental études with the devil's violinist were incredible, and I particularly adore liebestraum no 3. However, Rach absolutely dominated when it comes to piano concertos. I enjoy Rach's works more because they evoke emotions more than Liszt. In complexity, they rival each other, like no other composer. Possibly with Chopin close behind.

They both had humongous hands, but Rach's hands were a bit bigger.

Personally I think Liszt's 2nd Concerto is just as complex and varied as Rachmaninoff's 2nd. However, I will agree that Rach 3 leaves Liszt's 3rd far behind, though there are a striking number of similarities between Totentanz and the Paganini Variations, and clearly one inspired the other.

[aletter]

Liszt solo piano.

[chopinsimp]

liszt for solos, rachmaninoff by a MILE for orchestral works

[robertus]

Definitely Liszt. Rachmaninoff is way too complicated to learn, and then you need to play his music very accurately.

With Liszt, if you have the physical technique, it's relatively simple. I think Liszt is also more emotionally straightforward.

[resurrectcodeblack]

Rach all the way!

[palmtree]

Liszt, 100%

I love Rachmaninoff. His 2nd piano concerto and a lot of his solo piano works are quite wonderful (his 2nd concerto goes above wonderful, in fact), but Liszt's works dominate, in my mind, in emotional complexity and nuance of expression. Which is not to deride Rach in any way, merely to state that I consider Liszt as the greater artist.

And speaking of 2nd concerti... Liszt's 2nd is out of this world, although Rach 2 might have it slightly beat in my estimation.

Liszt's late sacred works for solo piano are almost unparalleled in the solo piano repertoire, and are highly worth a close listen.

[transitional]

Neither are my favorite, so I don't have a strong opinion. But I quite enjoy some of their works, and Les jeux d'eau a la Villa d'Este gets Liszt a vote.

[lelle]

I'm no Rach lover (too many notes lol) so I'll go with Liszt. I love far from everything by Liszt, but when he is at his best he is fabulous.

[nonickname10293]

Rachmaninoff

[the_franzliszt]

Liszt 

[pianopro181]

Rach 100%. Nothing he ever wrote was superficial whereas to say that about Liszt would be comical at best.

[liszt-and-the-galops]

Look at my name and then take a guess.
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/Smileys/classic/wink.gif

[lelle]

The best of Liszt > The best of Rach.

Liszt has more superficial flashy music that doesn't interest me.
Rach has more overly busy, heavy, tedious music that doesn't interest me.

Both are great when they are good.

[pianistavt]

This post was started in 2012.
We can compare any two composers or a handful, for virtuosic romantic that could include Scriabin, Medtner, etc.

As a pianist I seek out neither composer. I don't mind listening to Rachmaninoff but I rarely have the patience for Liszt - too much vacuousness.  If I had to choose, I would prefer playing Rachmaninoff - more interesting harmonies, pianistic challenges.