Customer Reviews

Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 3

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This RCA Red Seal release of Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto was recorded on the 50th anniversary of Russian Pianist Vladimir Horowitz' American debut. Though not preferred by most critics to his 1951 recording with Reiner and the RCA Symphony Orchestra, this is by far Horowitz' most polished, emotional and powerful performance - full of cantabile and warmth, yet never lacking in the pyrotechnics for which Volodya was so famous. His treatment of the concerto is actually closer to his 1930 recording with Albert Coates and the London Symphony Orchestra. A number of critics have pointed out that some portions of this recording were cut in the studio following the actual concert because Horowitz made a few mistakes. That's all good and well, but this review is of the final, edited recording, not specifically the concert itself.

How fortunate we are, as well, to have Rachmaninoff's compatriot Eugene Ormandy (to whom the Russian composer dedicated his final work, "Symphonic Dances") as conductor for this eventful recording - this is the only available recording of Rachmaninoff's two greatest champions in collaboration. This, in fact, is my favourite classical recording - period. It documents Horowitz' first appearance with an orchestra since 1953 and one can sense the anticipation from the opening chords of hearing what Horowitz would come up with. This piece has been long known as Horowitz' warhorse, but for the first time, Horowitz does not pounce upon this great work immediately with his explosive pianism.

Instead of attacking the opening movement (Allegro ma non tanto) with the linear thrust of sound for which he was famous, here Horowitz delivers a subtle, reflective rendering. It is as though Horowitz has been holding back this concerto for twenty-five years, and doesn't want to let it go; each note is imbued with urgency and passion - flowing from Horowitz' fingers like so
many precious gems and gold pieces.

His buildup to the cadenza is done superbly (Horowitz plays the original version, rather than the more virtuosic ossias. Commented Horowitz about his choice of cadenza, "I play the original cadenza in the first movement. Rachmaninoff always played it too. You know, the cadenza really builds up to the end of the concerto. The alternate cadenza is like an ending in itself. It's not good to end the concerto before it's over!")

Eugene Ormandy's conducting is equally commanding. I can only imagine what was going through his mind as he conducted this piece, which he had almost forty years before recorded with Rachmaninoff himself. While the strings are starker
than those of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Ormandy skillfully bends the will of the New York Philharmonic to Horowitz' playing:
Where Horowitz takes a relaxed tempo, the orchestra gives him plenty of room, playing in refrain off his melodies. Two
examples of this are the simple, eloquent flute solo coming off the heels of Horowitz' cadenza in the first movement, and the
undercurrent of the lower strings in the second (Intermezzo: Adagio) over which Horowitz conjures from his famed Steinway
the entire range of his vast pianistic emotion.

Yet, when Horowitz explodes into flurries of chordal progression and crescendi, the Philharmonic brings in the air support he
needs to pull off this concerto of massive and heroic proportions. In the finale (Alla Breve), all of the tentativeness and anxiety of the previous two movements are shed as Horowitz and Ormandy build to finale's climax. Deftly they work in unison, each passage building upon another suspensefully, tautly, the tempo accelerating ever so slightly to the impassioned conclusion. The last two minutes of the concerto are beautifully and triumphantly delivered, the brass and timpani playing in staccatoed counterpoint to Horowitz' piano, which ardently ascends in legato to the pinnacle of the concerto.

This performance, moreso than any other, brings out the fully romantic nature of this concerto. When the concerto is finished,
you suddenly realise that the sense of rapture and deliverance you had felt has not left you. And when the last notes reverberate from your speakers, you won't know whether the thunderous ovation you hear is coming from the Carnegie Hall audience, or from within.

This is the best performance of Rachmaninoff's 3rd I have yet heard. It was recorded live in 1978 at Carnegie Hall with some inserted corrective replays following the concert. Horowitz is moody, elegant, and very passionate in his playing. But what makes this a hit for me is the great conducting by Ormandy with New York Philharmonic. I think Ormandy is underrated. He keeps the rhythmic structure of the entire piece, swells romantically with lush sound, and in the scherzo parts he really whips the orchestra to play with pinpointed exclamations. This is the only CD I cannot work by; I close the lights, get a pillow for my head, lie prone with the speakers aimed at my ears, and go for one of the greatest rides of passion and beauty I know.

The sound is good though it seems a little dry and monoistic. The booklet has some nice stories about Rachmaninoff and Horowitz.

People who say this is THE BEST Rachmaninoff 3 (seems like every Rachmaninoff 3 is the best Rachmaninoff 3) probably have heard few others. And no, it's not true that Rachy himself stopped playing the concerto after hearing VH play it in 1928. Rachmaninoff had a long and successful solo career that included many performances of this work through the 1930s and 40s...this can easily be looked up. In fact, he tired of playing it, but the public and his agents pretty much forced it on him. His own recording, made in 1939, is superb, though Horowitz's first, made in 1930 with Coates and the LSO (EMI, sadly out of print) is far better--one of the very best, in fact.

This recording, however, is acoustically harsh and brittle, fast, unfelt, nervous and colorless. Ormandy leads a New York Philharmonic that is really not interested in responding at all (they can frequently be this way to guest conductors) and Horowitz is brittle and stiff-fingered. With so many recordings crowding the field, I can't understand why this one is still around, except that perhaps many people are "sucked in" by the "event" surrounding the performance. But such event performances and recordings are often disappointing. (Bernstein at "The Wall," Richter's 1st Carnegie Hall performance, Argerich, Maisky and Kremer doing the DSCH E minor trio.)

For some thrilling modern performances of the concerto, try Lazar Berman/Bernstein/NYPO, 1958, or Pletnev/Rostropovich/Russian Nat'l Orchestra on DG. For the best historic performance, it's Horowitz/Coates/1930. Rachmaninoff's own performance, a shade below the Horowitz of 1930, is also indespensible. This recording, alas and sadly, is not.

John --
You're right about this performance, but you are missing the point. Horowitz was a pianist for the history books, and I disagree with you that his earlier performances (e.g., the '51 performance with Reiner) is/are exceed by anyone. I know the Argerich and Ashkenazy performances well and they are not even close. As for Rachmaninoff himself, he said that Horowitz played the piece better than he did. I'm not so sure; the composer's own performance is pretty phenomenal.

Horowitz/Ormandy is a historic document that absolutely needs to be in print and in one's collection, regardless of whether this is Horowitz at his best or not. That's the point.

And I freely concede this isn't Horowitz at anywhere near his best. As he got into his 70s, his playing declined noticeably and rapidly. The last great gasp -- the Moscow recital -- has some wonderful moments, but there's no way an octagenarian Horowitz could match his younger self, given that Horowitz was basically a super-virtuoso. Rubinstein, in some ways, was a better pianist in his 70s than in his 50s. This is not true of Horowitz.

This is absolutely the best recording of Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto I have ever heard. The dynamic contrasts, along with the amazing amount of energy Horowitz gives to the piece, makes for an extremely intense musical experience. This recording provides a bold contrast to modern interpretations of the piece. Horowitz tends to use more staccatto, and he brings out the true romanticism in the piece, especially in the second movement. The cadenza he chooses in the first movement, though to some less impressive, is far better musically since it exposes more thoroughly the themes of the movement.

"He swallowed it whole. He alone has the COURAGE, the INTENSITY, the DARING." Thus spoke Sergei Rachmaninoff after playing his own Third Concerto with Vladimir Horowitz in Steinway's basement in early 1928. Those who think this was meant as an insult need only be reminded that Rachmaninoff virtually gave up performing this concerto after hearing Horowitz play it. Fifteen years later, toward the end of Rachmaninoff's life, this very shy man mounted the Hollywood Bowl stage to publicly embrace Horowitz after a performance of this piece, and to reinforce his earlier statement. "This is how I dreamed my Third Concerto would be played. But, I never expected to hear it played like this on Earth."

Though imperfectly played and imperfectly recorded (although the CD remastering is light years ahead of the original LP)this is an invaluable document of an immortal performance--as such it is priceless.

UPDATE: This CD, which was originally issued in the 1980s, has been replaced with a new remastering here: Concerto 3 in D Minor / Sonata 2 in B Flat Minor. I recommend the newer version, which has a greatly increased dynamic range, and rectifies the hivering piano image in the earlier version.

This recording is THE BEST recording of the third concerto I have ever heard. The read seal really means that what you are getting is 100 % the best quality. I have Abbey Simon playing the third concerto and it's nothing like the grandiose and surperbness of Horowitz. A MUST HAVE.

Rachmaninoff

Concerto No. 3

Vladimir Horowitz
Eugene Ormandy
New York Philharmoic

The Golden Jubilee Concert
Recorded live at Carnegie Hall, January 8, 1978

(RCA - 1978)

1979 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with orchestra)

A must-have CD. Five Stars

Horowitz, the protoge of Rachmaninoff, plays this very difficult piece beautifully. This is a live performance, and there is none other like it. The composition is wonderful, and Russian, and the playing is brilliant. If you like classical Russian, before Stravinsky, this is a must have.

This version of Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto was given on the 50th anniversary of Russian Pianist Vladimir Horowitz' American debut. Though not preferred by most critics to his 1951 recording with Reiner and the RCA Symphony, this is by far Horowitz' most polished, emotional and powerful performance - full of cantabile and warmth, yet never lacking in the pyrotechnics for which Volodya was famous. His treatment of the concerto is actually closer to his 1930 recording with Albert Coates and the London Symphony.

How fortunate we are, as well, to have Rachmaninoff's close friend Eugene Ormandy as conductor for this eventful recording - this is the only available recording of Rachmaninoff's two greatest champions in collaboration. This, in fact, is my favourite classical recording - period. It documents Horowitz' first appearance with an orchestra since 1953 and one can sense the anticipation from the opening chords of hearing what Horowitz would come up with. This piece has been long known as Horowitz' warhorse, but for the first time, Horowitz does not pounce upon this great work immediately with his explosive pianism.

Instead of attacking the opening movement with the linear thrust of sound for which he was famous, here Horowitz delivers a subtle, reflective rendering. It is as though Horowitz has been holding back this concerto for twenty-five years, and doesn't want to let it go; each note is imbued with urgency and passion - flowing from Horowitz' fingers like so many precious gems and gold pieces.

His buildup to the cadenza is done superbly (Horowitz plays the original version, rather than the more virtuosic ossias. Commented Horowitz about his choice of cadenza, "I play the original cadenza in the first movement. Rachmaninoff always played it too. You know, the cadenza really builds up to the end of the concerto. The alternate cadenza is like an ending in itself. It's not good to end the concerto before it's over!")

Eugene Ormandy's conducting is equally commanding and brilliant. I can only imagine what was going through his mind as he conducted this piece, which he had almost forty years before recorded with Rachmaninoff himself. While the strings are starker than those of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Ormandy skillfully bends the will of the New York Philharmonic to Horowitz' playing: Where Horowitz takes a relaxed tempo, the orchestra gives him plenty of room, playing in refrain off his melodies. Two examples of this are the simple, eloquent flute solo coming off the heels of Horowitz' cadenza in the first movement, and the undercurrent of the lower strings in the second (Intermezzo: Adagio) over which Horowitz conjures from his famed Steinway the entire range of his vast pianistic emotion.

Yet, when Horowitz explodes into flurries of chordal progression and crescendi, the Philharmonic brings in the air support he needs to pull off this concerto of massive and heroic proportions. In the finale (Alla Breve), all of the tentativeness and anxiety of the previous two movements are shed as Horowitz and Ormandy build to finale's climax. Deftly they work in unison, each passage building upon another suspensefully, tautly, the tempo accelerating ever so slightly to the impassioned conclusion. The last two minutes of the concerto are beautifully and triumphantly delivered, the brass and timpani playing in staccatoed counterpoint to Horowitz' piano, which ardently ascends in legato to the pinnacle of the concerto.

This performance, moreso than any other, brings out the fully romantic nature of this concerto.When the concerto is finished, you suddenly realise that the sense of rapture and deliverance you had felt has not left you. And when the last notes reverberate from your speakers, you won't know whether the thunderous ovation you hear is coming from the Carnegie Hall audience, or from within.