Customer Reviews

Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 2 & 3 / Ashkenazy, Kondrashin

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ashkenazy recorded the Rachmaninoff piano concerto no. 3 at different points in his career. This recording, the one with Fistoulari, was his first, and in my estimation his best. He had just shared first prize with John Ogdon at the 1960 Tchaikovsky competition, and was at his technical peak.

I owned this recording of the Rachmaninoff 3rd when it first came out on LP. I grew to love this concerto through it, though in my estimation the recording by Cliburn and Kiril Kondrashin surpasses it. The cover of the LP indicated that Ashkenazy recorded this performance in one cut without edits. It seems all the more special for that reason.

These recordings of the Rachmaninoff concertos nos. 2 and 3 are marked by nobility and some restraint. Ashkenazy takes an almost "classical" approach to these concertos. Some might call him reserved, but it would be equally appropriate to say that he chose to dignify Rachmaninoff and protect him from what can be a tendency to overly romanticize this music. For me, the third concerto comes off more successfully with this approach.

Consistent with this more reserved approach, Ashkenazy plays the shorter, less showy, cadenza in the first movement of the Rachmaninoff 3rd.

This recording will always have a special place in my collection. It is beautifully remastered and worthy of its placement in the Legends series.

This really is a great disc. It's the first recording Ashkenazy made of the two concertos, and he was only 26 at the time. From a youthful pianist, you would expect a forceful, emotionally driven performance, but not so here. It's quite amazing to hear a 26-year old pianist play these concertos with this level of maturity, in an emotionally cool, but very engaging performance. I mean, just compare it to the excessive assaults you get from the likes of Argerich, and this one is extremely delighting. There's no excess anywhere to be found on this disc. Ashkenazy's accounts are extremely relaxed and calm. But the music doesn't suffer from it: not at all! Rach. 3 in particular blossoms under Ashkenazy's fingers. Pianist and orchestra are a unity, and their playing is spell-binding. For a greater drive, get Richter in the Second and Ashkenazy's later recording for the Third. This recording, however, always invites me to listen to it again, and it's one of the few in my collection that is able to do so.

There's no question about this. Ashkenazy's April 1963 performance is equalled only by the superb technical skill of both orchestra and recording engineers. I heartily endorse the previous reviewer's comments and urge everyone to add this to their shopping basket

Ashkenazy plays with plenty of power and passion in these recordings, and the sound quality is quite good. The Second is superbly executed, but the Third could be a bit more tenderly played. But, as Rachmaninoff said, this concerto was written "for elephants." It's still one of the best renditions I've heard, and is at a good price. Don't pass this one up.

... i am just going to add a few lines to those reviews already here for this cd... yes, rachmaninov takes a nobler approach than most pianists and to me this is rachmaninov... melancholy and general flow of music, two traits emphasized by ashkenazy in this recording (a fact also confirmed by his choosing of the simpler and more lyrical cadenza in no. 3 which rachmaninov himself played) make this a top notch performance in the market today (i would also add earl wild on chandos, argerish on philips, rachmaninov himself on naxos, janis on mercury living presence, and richter on dg)

Vladimir Ashkenazy would record Rachmaninov's 2nd and 3rd piano concerti at least three times for Decca; these are his earliest recordings. They are replete with graceful, lyrcial playing, yet they lack the passion I've heard from the likes of Argerich and Volodos. Still, I would recommend this CD not only for Ashkenazy's performances, but also for the excellent playing shown by the Moscow Philharmonic and London Symphony orchestras. The sound quality is quite good with the latest digital image bit remastering.

I bought 5 different CDs of Rachmaninov Piano Concerto #2, none of which I was happy with as most artists were too concerned with showing off their technical ability, often ignoring the music or the orchestra, or if they understood the music, lacked in the technical mastery to pull it off. I then came across this CD. Oh my! This recording completely mesmerized me. Ashkenazy's technical mastery of the piece, his superb interplay with the orchestra, outstanding emotion-filled interpretation of the piece, I have nothing but praise for this recording. The only disappointment is that the sound quality is not the best as it lacks in the dynamic range, but given it was recorded in 1963 and is mostly due to the limitation of the original recording, one cannot complain too much. I am just grateful that I came across this recording, and Decca keeping it available for people to enjoy, 45 years after its original performance.

The liner notes of the CD, by Bryce Morrison, speak for themselves. I wouldn't disagree about one comma. The technical explanation, for those who understand the musical terms are without fault. As a performance, it is expression with complete regard for the Composer's intention--a quality of only the best performers. Ashkenazy in his prime performing what may be the last great Epoch in the evolutionary chain of Piano Concertos. Don't get me wrong, I love Ravel and Bartok and Stravinski--but we're talking about a true musical Epoch here. Let's face it, there are not that many piano concertos that have withstood the test of time. A few by Mozart, a few by Beethoven, the Schumann, the Grieg, a couple by Chopin and Tchaikovsky. I'm sure I've left out a few--but still how many more are that memorable and haunting. Rachmoninov was a rare being whose compositional virtuosity at the hands of a piano were unequaled--balancing complexities with melodic and harmonic content. Rachmoninov in these two Concertos, inherited the true virtuosity of Beethoven--and aren't we lucky to have Ashkenazy to interpret these masterpieces.

I was pleasantly surprised by the excellent performance and quality of recording. Both Piano Concerto 2 and 3 on this CD are recorded in 1963 when Ashkenazy was just 26 years old, and it shows the passion and the energy of young Ashkenazy. The quality of remaster is good. The dynamic range is somewhat limited, but still decent considering the recordings are more than 40 years old.

His later recording with Previn might show superior virtuosity, but I found the performance to be a little too reserved and lacks the excitement. This recording shows stark contrast in performance in terms of passion and energy. This recording just draws in the audience more. To me it's as good, or better than the any other recordings of Rachmaninov Piano Concerto that I own, including Horowitz, Argerich, Cliburn, Volodos, or Lugansky.

I have never heard Ashkenazy's digital recordings of Rachmaninoff's concerti with Haitink, but I have certainly heard the ones with Andre Previn quite a few times. To cut the long story short, both the Second and the Third concerto with the same soloist have definitely been better served elsewhere.

Ashkenazy himself is rather consistent and, indeed, considering that these recordings were made in 1963 when he was but 25-26 years old, his playing is quite remarkable and mature. (As a matter of fact, however, the remakes with Previn were recorded only seven or eight years later, in 1970-71.) This Third Concerto is actually even preferable to the later recording, for here Ashkenazy chooses the easier cadenza in the first movement, whereas in the recording with Previn his rendition of the more impressive cadenza sounds a bit laboured.

The conducting and the sound are what, for me, downgrade this recording to four stars. Both are fine and both are inferior to the later remakes. Kondrashin and Fistoulari are dependable fellows, but neither of them is any match for Previn in terms of sonority, dynamic range or clarity of detail. DECCA should have done a better job, too. The sound is a little brittle and harsh, occasionally with some rather jarring climaxes or high notes on the piano. Considering that DECCA were one of the pioneers of the stereo, and that in the early 1960s (and even in the late 1950s) they recorded Karajan and the Wiener Philharnoniker as sumptuously as never before or since, the sonics here are distinctly inferior, even for their own time.

That said, the recording is well worth having for there is a great deal to enjoy here. But if you already know these marvellous works with Ashkenazy and Previn, you may as well be prepared that neither the sound nor the orchestras are on the same level here. But since both are serviceable, and Ashkenazy as great as always, the disc is worth having, especially considering the low price. And if you have never heard Vladimir Ashkenazy playing these works, this is an excellent introduction to his impersonal yet unique vision of Rachmaninoff. The indifferent liner notes by Bryce Morrison you may skip without fear of missing anything of any importance.