The Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 3 Review Project

[Renfield]

Are you aware of the Horowitz/Barbirolli?




I consider it unequalled, and at a different class than Horowitz's other recordings as well. The only potential issue is the sound, for some.

[George]

Are you aware of the Horowitz/Barbirolli?

I've heard of it, but I haven't heard it - yet. 

[ezodisy]

Yeah Ren that's one of the very best and was my favourite until I heard Gieseking/Barbirolli and then Sokolov. I agree it's Horowitz's best (sound on that APR issue is a lot better than the source I first heard it from, Urania I think). Pushed to choose I'd probably take those 3, though the live Gilels is amazing too. No doubt some more names will come up soon. Between the few of us here I'm sure we could cover most of these recordings

edit: George it's a great one!

[Renfield]

Yeah Ren that's one of the very best and was my favourite until I heard Gieseking/Barbirolli and then Sokolov.

Seems like I must investigate them. I hadn't heard of either, previously... Thanks!

[George]

Yeah Ren that's one of the very best and was my favourite until I heard Gieseking/Barbirolli and then Sokolov.

I got the Gieseking awhile back, but only spun it once. I'll should write that one up at some point. 

[ezodisy]

that Gieseking performance is quite sloppy but I think it's pretty special, quite different and characterful. I don't have the Sokolov recording anymore but maybe George could share it (you can't buy it unfortunately).

[George]

that Gieseking performance is quite sloppy but I think it's pretty special, quite different and characterful. I don't have the Sokolov recording anymore but maybe George could share it (you can't buy it unfortunately).

I'd be glad to share the Sokolov. It's a live, unreleased performance, right? I will post the links in this thread when it's ready.

Yeah, I'm spinning the Gieseking now, it's as slow as I remember.

[George]

Just found this review of the Gieseking/Barbirolli Rach 3

Looks like the composer was present for this performance.

[George]

Gieseking/Barbirolli - Music and Arts - Performed in 1939, this was done without any cuts and with the bigger first movement cadenza. When the first movement began, I was aware that this was a unique performance. The tempo was slower than I have ever heard. I tried my best to adapt to the tempo, even listening on two different occasions, but I couldn't find a way to really appreciate this approach. The sound did not help, for the variable volume/pitch and noise level was distracting to say the least. One thing that was helped by the slow tempo was the intensity of the climactic moments. The effect was exhilarating! The second movement sounded fast by comparison, in fact I think they should have taken it quite a bit slower to balance with the first movement. Instead, they take it at an average tempo and again the sound robs the movement of much of it's beauty. The finale was probably the most successful part of this performance for me. Again there were some pitch issues, but the playing was excellent, even if the ending failed to really engage me. Overall, I would not recommend this one.
 

[B_cereus]

Gilels/Cluytens -

... Gilels plays this with the cuts and with the shorter cadenza.

not sure but i think Gilels' Rach 3 with Kondrashin is without the cuts...

[George]

I'd be glad to share the Sokolov. It's a live, unreleased performance, right? I will post the links in this thread when it's ready.

As promised, here's the links for the Sokolov Rachmaninov PC 3

Thanks again to Tony for making them available in the first place. I have also added the link to the body of my review for it. 

[imperfection]

I find it unbelievable that so far nobody cared to congratulate George on his project!  I wonder how much time he spent typing out all that and sharing his opinions with us. From the time stamp on the posts, he obviously copied and pasted them from a word processor where he finished reviewing each and every of those recordings beforehand. All this effort is for our benefit, for those who are looking to purchase a recording of this mammoth work. Most generous of you, George! 2 thumbs up!  

[George]

Most generous of you, George! 2 thumbs up!  

Thanks! I got much thanks on the prior thread these were taken from (other than the Gieseking, which I did today.) 

[Renfield]

Well, everyone making posts like this one automatically deserves congratulations! If we were to start congratulating, most of all these well-researched recommendations would be wasted, as the recordings would all be OOP before we finished.


That having been said, I begin by assuming every poster puts effort, care and research into their posts. And that having been said, thank you for the informative thread, George - and the Sokolov, which from the short sample I heard, for the moment, sounds fantastic.

[ezodisy]

Thank you for the Sokolov recording (in flac) George, I haven't heard this for a year or two, it's made my day (that and the snow). Sorry you didn't like the Gieseking/Barbirolli. It's a different sort of interpretation, which is perhaps the main reason I like it, you just don't hear another one similar to it (which may be a good thing, granted ).

not sure but i think Gilels' Rach 3 with Kondrashin is without the cuts...

is that the live one? I can't remember who the conductor was (got it off of Operashare). It's a great performane for sure

[Drasko]

is that the live one? I can't remember who the conductor was (got it off of Operashare). It's a great performane for sure

There is live Gilels with Ormandy/Philadelphia, '66 I think. I've got no idea where I got the link from.
http://rapidshare.com/files/28213074/Emil_Gilels_Rach_3_Ormandy_PO.zip

I should really get Horowitz/Barbirolli, I been thinking abot getting it for years and somehow never do, is it still in print?

[ezodisy]

There is live Gilels with Ormandy/Philadelphia, '66 I think. I've got no idea where I got the link from.
http://rapidshare.com/files/28213074/Emil_Gilels_Rach_3_Ormandy_PO.zip

Thanks, that's the one I know, from Operashare. I'd always take the live over the studio, you can't beat inspiratoin

I should really get Horowitz/Barbirolli, I been thinking abot getting it for years and somehow never do, is it still in print?

maybe

damn I linked the wrong performane, wtf?

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//APR5519.htm

[Drasko]

Thanks, that's the one I know, from Operashare. I'd always take the live over the studio, you can't beat inspiratoin

Gilels studio isn't that hard to beat, imo, his playing is fine but piano is far too much forward in the mix (to some extent one of my favorites Horowitz/Reiner suffers from same affliction), when he is playing you can barely hear the orchestra, and when you do hear them in interludes Cluytens doesn't seem to exhibit much feel for idiom.

Two Rach 3rds I heard lately that were something of disappointment were Kocsis/De Waart where Kocsis pianism is breathtaking and I do like his concept and ideas but the orchestra is struggling to keep up, if he had been backed with Budapest under Fischer that could've been stupendous. The other was live Lazar Berman/Bernstein, big, amiable, placid account with no tension whatsoever.

[George]

Thank you for the Sokolov recording (in flac) George

No problem. Thank you for the original upload. Speaking of the original upload, do you recall if the original was in lossless format? When I ripped the CD, I figured it would make sense to preserve whatever was there, but I can't remember if it was originally an MP3 or some kind of lossless format.

[ezodisy]

I don't remember, but I would guess it was a high rate mp3. I think that that was the normal share mode in the Sokolov group.