The Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 3 Review Project

[Sergeant Rock]

Gotcha! Haven't heard the Horowitz/Coates yet, but if it's half as good as his recording with Barbirolli, you are in for a special treat. 

I'll program it tomorrow...I could use a special treat 

Sarge

[Brian]

'Fraid Horowitz/Coates left a sour note in my mouth - but mostly because I prefer the concerto without the cuts. And even with them, when I compared Brilliant's Russian Archive Rach 3 recordings, Gilels just "got" me better.

EDIT: Want to say, George, that I am following this project with glee now that I've fallen head over heels with the concerto. Hope you review every single recording!    I've got Argerich, Wild, Horowitz/Coates, Gilels/Kondrashin(?), Gilels/Ormandy, Glemser, Volodos/Pletnev (live at the Concertgebouw), and Rachmaninov/Stokowski. At least those are the ones I remember.

Sarge, Henri Sigfridsson on Hanssler brings the concerto up to 18/11/14:25, but I found his playing uninteresting. His Second Concerto also has the movements sitting at or around the 12-mark.

[George]

EDIT: Want to say, George, that I am following this project with glee now that I've fallen head over heels with the concerto. Hope you review every single recording!    I've got Argerich, Wild, Horowitz/Coates, Gilels/Kondrashin(?), Gilels/Ormandy, Glemser, Volodos/Pletnev (live at the Concertgebouw), and Rachmaninov/Stokowski. At least those are the ones I remember.

Haven't tried the Ashkenazy/Fistoulari recording yet?

Update - I hope to review the Horowitz/Barbirolli and the Santiago Rodriguez/McRae recordings soon. I have already heard the former and like other said earlier, it's a stunner!

[George]

Santiago Rodriguez/McRae - Having loved much of Rodriguez's recordings of solo Rachmaninov, I wanted to give his Rach 3 a try. The first thing I noticed was the distant miking on this live recording, something I have never liked, for everything sounds too far away, no matter how loud it is played. It also created a somewhat blurry sound that didn't help the performers. This recording was made in 1997 and the sound really should have been a lot better. The second thing I noticed was a great deal of extraneous noise. Whether onstage or in the audience, the mikes unfortunately did great job at capturing every noise that occurred during the performance, which leads me to believe that perhaps the miking wasn't distant, but it was just a murky mix. In any case, it sure didn't help convey the performance in a positive light. Rodriguez plays the opening theme in a rather fast tempo, close to the composers own recording of this work. I personally prefer a slower tempo here, as it tends to bring out the beauty and mystery in the long, chain-like opening theme. The orchestra, here and throughout the recording, are nothing to write home about. This is the biggest flaw in this recording and it is a big one. I kept wanting more power in the climaxes and more synchronicity between the soloist and orchestra. Not that Santiago was perfect by any means, for with all of his technical expertise, he lacks a more emotional style that conveys the more tender moments. For every instance of impressive power and authority there was another where I just couldn't connect emotionally with what he was doing. The second movement was the most successful for the pianist, but unfortunately things didn't really heat up enough in the finale and I was left feeling unsatisfied. Though for the most part this can probably be credited to the orchestra, not to mention the sound, the end result was a recording that I cannot recommend. 

[Brian]

Sorry to hear that, George. I too am an admirer of his solo recordings; perhaps the problems are in part due to the live nature of the recordings? I have Rodriguez' performance of the Grieg Concerto and it is absolutely electric (although, like so much of what he does, very speedy...to my liking in this case!).

[George]

Sorry to hear that, George. I too am an admirer of his solo recordings; perhaps the problems are in part due to the live nature of the recordings? I have Rodriguez' performance of the Grieg Concerto and it is absolutely electric (although, like so much of what he does, very speedy...to my liking in this case!).

Is it paired with the Liszt concerto on Elan?

[Brian]

Is it paired with the Liszt concerto on Elan?

Yessir!

[George]

Yessir!

OK, I have that one. It didn't move me the first time I heard it, perhaps I should try again.

[Brian]

OK, I have that one. It didn't move me the first time I heard it, perhaps I should try again.

Bear in mind I do like fast things, I suppose.. 

[George]

Bear in mind I do like fast things, I suppose.. 

OK. In romantic music I generally prefer the opposite.

[Oldnslow]

Thought I'd post a note about a live recording on Ivory Classics by Earl Wild and a regional orchestra, the Florida Philharmonic, made in 1981, when Wild was in his mid-60s. I would refer to it as the Music Minus One Rach 3, because the orchestra is so recessively miked that they are barely audible, except on fortissimo passages. The piano, on the other hand, is front and center and well recorded. It's almost like hearing the Rach 3 played by Wild in his living room  as a sonata. His playing (no cuts, short first movement cadenza) is spectacular, and for once it is possible to hear all of the piano score. Obviously not a first choice, but it does make for an interesting listen, and demonstrates once again that Wild is superb in this music. My favorite recent Rach 3 that really integrates the piano with excellent orchestral accompaniment is the Andsnes/Pappano on EMI. 

[kishnevi]

Thought I'd post a note about a live recording on Ivory Classics by Earl Wild and a regional orchestra, the Florida Philharmonic, made in 1981, when Wild was in his mid-60s. I would refer to it as the Music Minus One Rach 3, because the orchestra is so recessively miked that they are barely audible, except on fortissimo passages.

The Fla Phil got much better in the 1990s (when they recorded, for instance, a fairly good Mahler 1), but given the relatively low quality of play by the orchestra during the early 80s,  you would probably think much less of this recording if you did hear the orchestra better.

[George]

Update - I hope to review the Horowitz/Barbirolli and the Santiago Rodriguez/McRae recordings soon. I have already heard the former and like other said earlier, it's a stunner!

I really need to get to the Horowitz recording soon. I have heard it once, but haven't yet listened again and written up my impression of it. Will do so soon.

Please feel free to mention and discuss your favorite recordings of this work as well.

[George]

Horowitz/Barbirolli - This is a live recording from Carnegie Hall, originally performed on May 4th, 1941. Like Horowitz's other recordings that I have heard (Reiner, 1951 and Ormandy, 1978), the piano is placed unnaturally forward in the mix. And also like the other recordings I have heard, Horowitz chooses the short first movement cadenza. However, this is where the similarities end. Of all of the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto 3s that I have reviewed thus far, this one definitely has the worst sound. Having heard Bryan Crimp's excellent transfer work on other APR CDs, I am inclined to believe that he made the most of the source material (acetate recordings of radio broadcasts) that was available to him here. And thankfully, this performance is so electrifying, that it's impact transcends the limitations of the sound.  Sure, I could nitpick about Horowitz's seeming inability to convey the more subtle aspects of the score, as I have done before, but here it all seems to work for him and Barbirolli. It's existing, original (fastest tempos on record), above all, this recording is fun! Horowitz is in top form and for the first time (in this work) I got to hear the Horowitz that I had read about, the one the composer had said "swallowed it whole," when he was asked about Horowitz after the two had played the work in the Basement of Steinway's New York showroom, just four days before Horowitz's American debut in 1928. Horowitz played the solo part, the composer playing a piano reduction of the orchestral part. This sense of having a full conception and mastery of the work is something that Horowitz conveys here, something few performances I have heard have achieved. Throughout he is an assured guide through this complicated work, as often times when I hear other pianists play it, they seem to get lost or overwhelmed by it. Not so with Horowitz. The opening theme is played faster than usual, but does not sound rushed. Horowitz varies his tone here, creating a more poetic and nuanced interpretation of it than I have heard from him before. As the music becomes more dramatic, he resists overdoing it, until the larger climaxes that will come later. At this point, I stopped taking notes and simply enjoyed the ride. As expected, the finale is thrilling, ferocious and above all - confident. I recommend this performance to anyone who wishes to hear what the fuss was all about Horowitz.

[madaboutmahler]

The Ashkenazy was my favourite for a while, until the recording of Leif Ove Andsnes' outstanding performance with the LSO/Pappano was released on EMI not too long ago. Andsnes is amazing, giving a thrilling, poetic performance, with absolutely breathtaking cadenzas with supreme accuracy and virtuosity. I had seen the same combination perform the same concerto live before which was an especially memorable experience so I knew the recording would be good!
But Ashkenazy, Horowitz and Argerich remain favourites of mine, with the Andsnes now being top choice.

[asin]B003Z0BSU8[/asin]

Sorry if this recording has already been raised in the discussion!
Have a nice day everyone,
Best Wishes
Daniel

[George]

The Ashkenazy was my favourite for a while, until the recording of Leif Ove Andsnes' outstanding performance with the LSO/Pappano was released on EMI not too long ago. Andsnes is amazing, giving a thrilling, poetic performance, with absolutely breathtaking cadenzas with supreme accuracy and virtuosity. I had seen the same combination perform the same concerto live before which was an especially memorable experience so I knew the recording would be good!
But Ashkenazy, Horowitz and Argerich remain favourites of mine, with the Andsnes now being top choice.

Sorry if this recording has already been raised in the discussion!
Have a nice day everyone,
Best Wishes
Daniel

Thanks for your post. Which Ashkenazy and which Horowitz recording are you referring to?

[madaboutmahler]

Thanks for your post. Which Ashkenazy and which Horowitz recording are you referring to?

The Ashkenazy with Previn, the Horowitz with Ormandy.
Sorry for not saying before!

Daniel

[George]

The Ashkenazy with Previn, the Horowitz with Ormandy.
Sorry for not saying before!

Daniel

No problem! I just got Ashkenazy with Ormandy for a few bucks in the used bins. Haven't listened yet, though.

[madaboutmahler]

No problem! I just got Ashkenazy with Ormandy for a few bucks in the used bins. Haven't listened yet, though.

I have not heard this one, let me know what it is like! Ashkenazy with Previn is so amazing, so it would take a lot to beat it!

Daniel

[George]

I have not heard this one, let me know what it is like! Ashkenazy with Previn is so amazing, so it would take a lot to beat it!

Daniel

OK, I will post a review here when I hear it.