Favorite Rachmaninov concerto

[the89thkey]

This will be interesting...I play all of them including the Rhapsody (yes, I am a Rachmaninov addict) and I want to see which ones are most popular to prepare a program for an upcoming concert.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

(yes, I am a Rachmaninov addict)

I have a feeling we're gonna get along REALLY well.

[the89thkey]

I hope so.

[andreslr6]

First voting!

G minor is my favorite, for several reasons, but since you're talking about "preparing a program for an upcoming concert" I'll say one of the main ones: it's the least played!

It's been like 6 years now since I last had the 2nd on my "like" list, I hate it now because I'm tired of it, tired of hearing it!

Same with the 3rd, last time I heard it was this summer, the Horowitz's recording, and I did enjoyed it for what it is, but then I tried re-hearing it again and I got tired as well.

The first is my second favorite, I prefer the 4th above it mainly because of the language, it feels like a very natural and comfortable Rachmaninoff and not so overly romantic as in the 2nd and 3rd, maybe 'sober' can fit to the description of the feeling I get with the 4th.

[the89thkey]

I disagree that it is possible to get "tired of" Rach 2 or 3 (well maybe sections of them), but yes I love all of them including 4

[patrickd]

#4 is my favorite.

[the89thkey]

Lot of people saying 4...problem is that I can't really play 4 before intermission and 3 after

[andreslr6]

why not:

Rach 3

intermission

Rach 4

and the Paganini as an encore?

I would do that.

[the89thkey]

Hilarious...Rach 3 before intermission and Paganini as an encore.
we will see what the conductor thinks of that.

[j_menz]

and the Paganini as an encore?

May be a bit more than the audience were expecting at 15-20 minutes!

And there is such a thing as too much Rachmaninoff, you know.

[the89thkey]

I was being sarcastic...

also you don't play encores with an orchestra

and too much Rach is hard to do...I have sat down for 3+ hours and listened to all the concertos...no breaks. And thoroughly enjoyed it.

[andreslr6]

I was being sarcastic...

So was I....

May be a bit more than the audience were expecting at 15-20 minutes!

And there is such a thing as too much Rachmaninoff, you know.

just get along with me... humor me

[j_menz]

I have sat down for 3+ hours and listened to all the concertos...no breaks. And thoroughly enjoyed it.

You'll make a great Wagner fan when you grow up.   

[j_menz]

So was I....

just get along with me... humor me

Haha, cool. Hard to tell sometimes, these Rach fan types can be a bit OTT. 

[the89thkey]

when I grow up?
I think my years of childhood are far behind me now...or was it more sarcasm?

[the89thkey]

But I agree; when listening to or playing Rachmaninov I am kind of like a kid playing video games...

[j_menz]

or was it more sarcasm?

Not real sarcasm, just a gentle dig.  Remember, a full sit through the Ring alone is 15 hours + breaks. And Wagner is more demanding of the listener than Rachmaninoff.

[the89thkey]

Is that because it's bad?
It's not more complex I can tell you that.

[andreslr6]

It's not more complex I can tell you that.

Hmm...  interesting....

Anyways, why do you want to play 2 Rachmaninoff concerts in one program? why not 2 different composers? I like contrasts, maybe a good composer to contrast Rachmaninoff's style would be... mmmm... Bach??    Yeah! you could do their D minors!! I played Bach's, one of my favorites actually!

You can do:

Rach 3

intermission

Bach BWV1052

and a transcription as an encore, a Liszt-Wagner might work

[the89thkey]

Guys please stop posting ridiculous suggestions in this forum. Yeah, I'm totally going to do a Rach 3 and then Bach and then Liszt-Wagner for an encore...

[j_menz]

Is that because it's bad?

As Mark Twain once said, it's not as bad as it sounds. 

And unless you have actually sat through a LOT of it, you really aren't in a position to compare it's complexity to Rachmaninoff. IMO, it wins hands down.

[the89thkey]

You are entitled to your opinion, and I to mine.