Rachmaninov Piano Conerto 2 - Recommended LP?

Andre Previn & Vladimir Ashkenazy recorded all 4 PC's in the early 70's. If you can find them, enjoy. They are still highly regarded. Byron Janis recorded #2&3 on Mercury Presence, and then there is Earl Wild set with Jasha Horenstein, another highly regarded set. And if you can find it, Sviatoslaw Richter's version on DG, ain't chopped liver, circa 1959 (again if you can find it). Personally I think Ashkenazy rules in Rachmaninov, symphonies, piano, and Symphonic Dances. The suite for two piano's done by Ashkenazy & Previn is excellent as well. Happy hunting.

The following two are very old recordings on LP, but they are revered as the best interpretations. They have adequate sonics, but of course, they are not modern recordings amd were recorded on mono as they were recorded before the stereo era. Rachmaninoff was noted for his skills as a pianist and not only as a composer.

I can recommend the RCA Album, a 3 record set, RCA ARM3-0296 MONO. These include his Four Concertos as well as Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with Rachmaninoff at the piano, The Philadephia Orchestra, and Eugene Ormandy on the concertos and Leopold Stokowski conducting on the Rhapsody.

The next revered interpretation is with William Kapell the pianist with the Robin Dell Orchestra of Philadelphia and William Steinberg conducting. The young Kapell perished in an airplance accident shorlty after. This record is RCA LM-1097. Much praise has been given to this version. The version of the second and third concertos with Byron Janis as pianist, Antal Dorati and the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in the 2nd and 3rd concertos also has much following and praise. The numbers for the stero version of the 2nd concerto are Mercury SR90260. I think that the versions with Horowitz as well as Rubinstein played at their peak years also deserves listening. They both have many recordings spanning perhaps thirty years and you should listen to which you judge to be the better or best versions. I can recommend the Rubinstein/Reiner/Chicago Symphony version RCA ARP1-4934 touted as as Audiophile Pressing manufactured on TELDEC vinyl recorded in Orchestra Hall, January 9 and 16, 1956. This recording is of the Concerto No. 2 and the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Richter and Van Cliburn also have credible interpretations.

Happy listening. Please give us some critique and feedback.

Racmaninov's Piano Concerto #2 is the most achingly beautiful piece of music ever created in the world. bar none.

Sorry I can't help with LP recommendations...I only have it CD and SACD.

I will second Newbee's rec: "Sviatoslaw Richter's version on DG, ain't chopped liver, circa 1959 (again if you can find it).." It is marvelous. While I do have the other versions mentioned, I think it the one to beat, although Newbee's short list is excellent. I recently found this LP in mear mint condition, so do look for it!

Look for DG 138 076

-Kurt

Those mentioned are good for different reasons. Some people like their music played certain ways. Janis and Wild are faster, with Wild brilliant and Janis more fleet, and both colorful. Cliburn and Ashkenazy are slower (Ashkenazy may only seem that way because of the smooth performance - I didn't check the timing), with both still exciting, but more opulent (Cliburn) and liquid (Ashkenazy). The Richter is a mix of various tempos, sometimes stately, sometimes exciting, but it works. Good luck, happy listening.

All - Many thnks for your suggestions....Guess I'll start searching for them now!

While looking for the Richter version see if you can also find the Richter version of the Liszt concerti.

In my recent post "Multichannel discs, and Why" I cite this particular concerto at an example of one class of music that benefits from multichannel. If you have SACD capability, try PentaTone PTC 5186 114...Werner Haas, piano. (Actually, this is a hybrid disc so you could use it in a regular CD player pending purchase of SACD equipment).