Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943)

[Spineur]

As an alternative to the excellent Delphian set, I can recommend this CD of Yuri Gorodetski, a bielorussian tenor, winner of the 2012 Montreal competition.  He was only 29 at the time of the recording.  It is a bit of a Rachmaninov/Tchaikovsky song sampler, so if you want the complete works, go for the Delphian set.  But in term of voice, and music understanding, its pretty amazing.  Its a hires album as well distinguished by hires audio.

Here is a youtube sample
https://www.youtube.com/v/kBsO8JgOKvc

[Scion7]

I originally bought it due to the cover art (Bocklin's Die Toteninsel) but it's a pretty good performance.

[Heck148]

Excuse me, but this composer seems to have a total of two or three self-pitying ideas which he recycles relentlessly and endlessly. Why is this papmeister played on classical music stations regularly, even respectable ones? Am I missing something?
Shall I armour myself against flames here?

I agree with you...rach'man'ff is hugely over-rated, and overplayed....there are so many other composers deserving of live concert exposure over this 3rd or 4th stringer....
his works, with a few exceptions, are structurally a mess, grossly over-orchestrated, producing a thick, murky sound that obscures interesting detail...a friend of mine, a violinist, on Rach'y's sym #2:
<<"there are about a million notes in the violin part, and the audience will hear about 2% of them">>
really, same with the woodwind parts

[Karl Henning]

I agree with you...rach'man'ff is hugely over-rated, and overplayed....

Heck, great to see you!

. . . but . . . permit me to observe that it is bad form to go to a composer's thread, just to dump on the composer.  Looks additionally bad when you dredge up a six-year-old post to do it, too.

Look forward to hearing more from you, dear fellow!

[johnshade]

Piano Concerto No. 2: overrated, underrated, or just a guilty pleasure?

[Karl Henning]

Piano Concerto No. 2: overrated, underrated, or just a guilty pleasure?

When one loves a piece which is standard rep, it is above questions of overrated or underrated 

I liked the piece when I first heard it.  We played the piece when I was at the College of Wooster, and that earlier liking bloomed into a love which has never abated.  It would never occur to me feel anything like "guilt" for taking pleasure in the piece.

[Heck148]

Heck, great to see you!

. . . but . . . permit me to observe that it is bad form to go to a composer's thread, just to dump on the composer.  Looks additionally bad when you dredge up a six-year-old post to do it, too.

Hi, Karl - sorry about the bad form, but I've been looking at various threads for awhile, and most of them originated so many years ago, I couldn't read thru 49+ pages of previous postings...it is a real problem getting into the flow...so I finally just took one and jumped in...

[Karl Henning]

Hi, Karl - sorry about the bad form, but I've been looking at various threads for awhile, and most of them originated so many years ago, I couldn't read thru 49+ pages of previous postings...it is a real problem getting into the flow...so I finally just took one and jumped in...

No worries, dear chap!  Do make yourself at home!

[Heck148]

Piano Concerto No. 2: overrated, underrated, or just a guilty pleasure?

Warsaw Concerto accomplishes the same thing...and it's much shorter!! 

[Karl Henning]

Now, the Warsaw Concerto would be a guilty pleasure   

[Heck148]

Now, the Warsaw Concerto would be a guilty pleasure   

[Madiel]

Piano Concerto No. 2: overrated, underrated, or just a guilty pleasure?

I'll respond once I get to the relevant section of my 'sectional-chronology-exploration' of Rachmaninov. In a year or so, I'm being very sporadic...

I tend to have the notion, though, that the most famous pieces of Rachmaninov are not necessarily the best. I think his late works are marvellous. I also seem to remember thinking that his 1st Symphony, the one that was wrecked on its premiere, was rather good.

[Karl Henning]

I tend to have the notion, though, that the most famous pieces of Rachmaninov are not necessarily the best. I think his late works are marvellous. I also seem to remember thinking that his 1st Symphony, the one that was wrecked on its premiere, was rather good.

Recommended:

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[Madiel]

Recommended:

[asin]B0018OKGZQ[/asin]

I have Ashkenazy. It will serve.

[Karl Henning]

I have Ashkenazy. It will serve.

Not that you are obliged to pursue the juvenilia . . . did Ashkenazy record the 1891 symphony movement?

[North Star]

Not that you are obliged to pursue the juvenilia . . . did Ashkenazy record the 1891 symphony movement?

If I recall correctly, you recently bought the very recording, Karl.

[Madiel]

Not that you are obliged to pursue the juvenilia . . . did Ashkenazy record the 1891 symphony movement?

It's not in the relevant box, no, but I can't say I'm going to go out of my way to acquire it. Given that my greatest Rachmaninov enjoyment seems to come from the latest works.

[Karl Henning]

If I recall correctly, you recently bought the very recording, Karl.

Hah! Well, we see how diligent I have not yet been about pursuing that box 

It's not in the relevant box, no, but I can't say I'm going to go out of my way to acquire it. Given that my greatest Rachmaninov enjoyment seems to come from the latest works.

Well, one finds it gratifying that at least you did like the Opus 13.

[Brian]

Not that you are obliged to pursue the juvenilia . . . did Ashkenazy record the 1891 symphony movement?

Yes. The original '80s CD release, which I inherited from my grandparents, pairs "Youth Symphony" with No. 3.

EDIT:

[asin] B00000E2MZ[/asin]

[Karl Henning]

Yes. The original '80s CD release, which I inherited from my grandparents, pairs "Youth Symphony" with No. 3.

Thanks, to both you & our Karlo!

It's not in the relevant box, no, but I can't say I'm going to go out of my way to acquire it.

Should you be curious, though, orfeo:

http://www.youtube.com/v/UIra1xBRvtk