His Complete Recordings

Rachmaninoff, Sergey

The Composer as Performer

Sergey Rachmaninoff wrote most of his major works for piano before fleeing the Russian Revolution in 1917, and devoted much of his energy after immigrating to the U.S. to performing them. This was out of necessity: He had to earn a living somehow, and though his melancholic rhapsodies (particularly the Second Piano Concerto) were beloved, his place in the pantheon was anything but assured. So he barnstormed, playing not just in New York and the expected cultural capitals, but also in smaller cities across the country. He became, quietly, an evangelist for his compositions.

The tall, dour-looking Russian had this much going for him: He was a monster at the piano. Rachmaninoff was revered by world-class pianists, like Arthur Rubinstein, as a godlike figure able to transport listeners into the "heart" of a piece, whether or not he wrote it. This ten-disc set was recorded between 1925 and 1942, during the age of 78-RPM (rarely does a selection last more than four minutes). It catches Rachmaninoff grappling with Chopin, Beethoven, and others in a muscular and completely authoritative way, as though he's appraising these giants at eye level, as a peer and not a worshipful student. That perspective makes a difference: Rachmaninoff organizes the main threads of Beethoven's Sonata No. 3, Op. 30, into stupendous legato lines that leave room for Fritz Kreisler's equally smooth violin. Together they lift a pretty piece into the realm of a rare delicacy. Rachmaninoff did this "essentializing" thing when he performed solo as well—check his utterly tempoless reading of Chopin's Nocturne No. 2, Op. 9, another triumph of slowness and patience. Playing Schumann's "Carnival," Rachmaninoff makes sure that his listener knows exactly when the piece is heading toward its culminating point.

Rachmaninoff's own works are as melodically rich as those he interpreted; though classical music has had its share of composers who performed (Stravinsky is another), very few have been able to shine light on the intricacies of their compositions the way Rachmaninoff does here.

These recordings are not noted for their digital clarity, but they're remarkably listenable given their age. Those seeking a less exhaustive dose of Rachmaninoff might seek out the four concertos with the Philadelphia Orchestra represented here, which are also sold separately, or Vladimir Horowitz's rightly revered 1951 recording of Concerto No. 3, which exposes more popular latter-day readings of the piece—like, oh, David Helfgott's version in Shine—as extremely shallow.

Genre: Classical
Released: 2006, RCA
Key Tracks: Concerto No. 2. Concerto No. 3. Symphony No. 3.
Another Interpretation: Horowitz Plays Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 3, Sonata No. 2, RCA Victor Symphony (Fritz Reiner, cond.).
Catalog Choice: Symphonic Dances, Minnesota Orchestra (Eiji Oue, cond.).
Next Stop: Robert Schumann: Piano Concerto, Sviatoslav Richter.
Book Pages: 626–627

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1000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die