Top 5 Favorite Rachmaninov Works

[Maestro267]

OK...one symphony, one concerto

Symphony No. 1
Piano Concerto No. 2
Symphonic Dances
The Bells
Suite for two pianos No. 1

[vandermolen]

Today's List:

Symphony No.1
The Bells
Three Russian Folksongs
Piano Concerto No.4
The Isle of the Dead

[Symphonic Addict]

At the moment:

Symphonic Dances
Morceaux for piano duet, Op. 11
Piano Trio No. 2
Prince Rostislav
Symphony No. 3

I've never been too fond of the 1st Symphony.

[Cato]

Today's List:

Symphony No.1
The Bells
Three Russian Folksongs
Piano Concerto No.4
The Isle of the Dead

Having come across a performance of the original conception of the Fourth, I much prefer it to the "revised standard version."   0:)

Prince Rostislav

Prince Rostislav  RAWKS!   

[Symphonic Addict]

Prince Rostislav  RAWKS!   

Good to know more fans of this piece!

[Symphonic Addict]

Having come across a performance of the original conception of the Fourth, I much prefer it to the "revised standard version."   0:)

What are the most significant differences between both versions? My curiosity was piqued.

[Cato]

Having come across a performance of the original conception of the Fourth, I much prefer it to the "revised standard version."   0:)

What are the most significant differences between both versions? My curiosity was piqued.

From what I understand, a good 25 pages or more ( 1/5 of the work, according to one estimate) were excised to make the work more "accessible" and amenable to the critics.  The cuts, however, damaged the coherence of the work, along with its emotional trajectories. 

Some highly charged sections in each movement were excised: the middle movement and the last are somewhat darker in mood in the original, and have some surprising things, including a shockingly violent section  (the Largo) unexpected and therefore all the more powerful.

See this excellent essay:

https://d32h38l3ag6ns6.cloudfront.net/pdf/Publications/Program%20Books/2012/Russian%20Masters%20%E2%80%93%20Rachmaninoff%20and%20Tchaikovsky%202012.pdf

A salient excerpt:

...With the soloist playing the soaring opening theme in double-octave chords, the first movement (Allegro vivace) sets off  from where the Third Piano Concerto had ended. The musical mood soon changes, however, as a pensive chromatic motto is introduced. Much of this section – which leads to the intensely lyrical second subject in the relative major key – was eventually removed, as too was a counterbalancing section at the end of the movement...

...A sudden fortissimo heralds what seems to be a new idea but is, in fact, a chromatic transformation of the main material, the pianist responding with violent cascades of semiquavers (these, too, were ultimately removed)...

...Unlike the final version of the third movement, which begins suddenly, the original version witnesses a progression of moods. The main theme is presented twice by the pianist before a whimsical passage leads to the second subject. This exuberant melody, so typical of Rachmaninoff 's style, was – for reasons perhaps knowable only to the composer – successively reduced to a mere 16 bars through the revisions. ...

[Mirror Image]

I've never been too fond of the 1st Symphony.

I share the same opinion.

[vandermolen]

At the moment:

Symphonic Dances
Morceaux for piano duet, Op. 11
Piano Trio No. 2
Prince Rostislav
Symphony No. 3

I've never been too fond of the 1st Symphony.

But I do like the Third Symphony and the Symphonic Dances.

[vandermolen]

What are the most significant differences between both versions? My curiosity was piqued.

Yes, me too.

[vandermolen]

Good to know more fans of this piece!

Also a fan here.

[Marc]

Piano concerto no. 2 in C minor, op. 18
Symphony no. 2 in E minor, op. 27
Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, op. 31
14 Romances, op. 34
Vespers, op. 37

[AlberichUndHagen]

I am also a big fan of Prince Rostislav!

[Roasted Swan]

I played in the UK premiere of Prince Rostislav - Young Musicians SO circa 1983(?) - St. Johns Smith Square!

[relm1]

Prince Rostislav  RAWKS!   

+1

Rach's The Rock rock's too.

[vandermolen]

+1

Rach's The Rock rock's too.

+1

[Symphonic Addict]

From what I understand, a good 25 pages or more ( 1/5 of the work, according to one estimate) were excised to make the work more "accessible" and amenable to the critics.  The cuts, however, damaged the coherence of the work, along with its emotional trajectories. 

Some highly charged sections in each movement were excised: the middle movement and the last are somewhat darker in mood in the original, and have some surprising things, including a shockingly violent section  (the Largo) unexpected and therefore all the more powerful.

See this excellent essay:

https://d32h38l3ag6ns6.cloudfront.net/pdf/Publications/Program%20Books/2012/Russian%20Masters%20%E2%80%93%20Rachmaninoff%20and%20Tchaikovsky%202012.pdf

A salient excerpt:

Thank you, Cato!

[Symphonic Addict]

But I do like the Third Symphony and the Symphonic Dances.

Excellent, Jeffrey. The 3rd is sometimes underrated if compared with the others.

[Mirror Image]

Excellent, Jeffrey. The 3rd is sometimes underrated if compared with the others.

The 3rd sees Rachmaninov expand his musical language into something more concise and even "Neoclassical". I enjoy the 3rd a good bit --- my favorite performance of it is with Stokowski conducting the National Philharmonic Orchestra.

[Symphonic Addict]

The 3rd sees Rachmaninov expand his musical language into something more concise and even "Neoclassical". I enjoy the 3rd a good bit --- my favorite performance of it is with Stokowski conducting the National Philharmonic Orchestra.

Neoclassical is something I too hear here. The 2nd movement is especially good.

I hope that recording is in stereo and with good sound since Stokowski's recordings tend to be old and those recordings don't appeal to me that much.