Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos No. 1 & No. 4

Sergey Rachmaninov (Composer), Eugene Ormandy (Conductor), Leopold Stokowski (Conductor), Philadelphia Orchestra (Orchestra), Sergey Rachmaninov (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Sergey Rachmaninov
• Orchestra: Philadelphia Orchestra
• Conductor: Eugene Ormandy, Leopold Stokowski
• Composer: Sergey Rachmaninov
• Audio CD (October 26, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Naxos
• ASIN: B000026B8G
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #343,816 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Piano Concerto No. 1 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 1: Vivace

2. Piano Concerto No. 1 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 1: Andante

3. Piano Concerto No. 1 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 1: Allegro Vivace

4. Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Minor, Op. 40: Allegro vivace

5. Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Minor, Op. 40: Largo

6. Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Minor, Op. 40: Allegro Vivace

7. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Introduction: Allegro vivace And Variations I (Precedente)

8. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Tema: L'istesso

9. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation II: L'istesso tempo

10. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation III: L'istesso tempo

11. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation IV: Piu vivo

12. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation V: Tempo precedente

13. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation VI: L'istesso tempo

14. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation VII: Meno mosso, a tempo moderato

15. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation VIII: Tempo I

16. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation IX: L'istesso tempo

17. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation X: Poco marcato

18. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XI: Moderato

19. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XII: Tempo di minuetto

20. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XIII: Allegro

See all 31 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful performance by a master!, January 11, 2001

By 

Piano Man - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos No. 1 & No. 4 (Audio CD)

I hope those of you who have seen the movie "Shine" will explore more of Rachmaninov than just the third concerto. This CD is definitely an excellent buy--you don't have to worry about pianists not playing the works correctly; by listening to this disc we know how the music was supposed to be played. If you are worried about good sound quality, however, this disc is not for you. Recorded in the late 30's and early 40's on record, it had to be taken and recorded to CD. Even though the quality is not the best, you have no problem hearing the music. A great CD and a great buy!!

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Master Composer Himself, July 15, 2000

By 

Michael B. Richman (Portland, Maine USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos No. 1 & No. 4 (Audio CD)

How amazing would it be to actually listen to Beethoven play piano, or Bach play organ? Well, on this Naxos recording you can lsiten to Rachmaninoff play his own piano concertos! While the first and fourth concertos are not nearly as popular as the second and third, they are still very interesting pieces. To hear the composer himself explore them, and "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini," is truly special. The only shortcoming of these recordings is they were made in the late 30s and early 40s, and the sound quality, while it was state of the art in its time, does not measure up to today's standards. This recording is not for classical audiophiles whose number one criteria is high fidelity. But if you place importance on empathetic playing and are intrigued at the prospect of hearing the music from the master composer himself, then this is worth it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful historic document - great price, November 10, 2004

By 

dm "danmc15" (rochester, ny) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos No. 1 & No. 4 (Audio CD)

It's great hearing the historical recordings of Rachmaninov. I also own the other Naxos CD of PC 2 & 3, and I have to say that the sound is much clearer on this CD; less hiss and the piano is brighter and more prominent. I also enjoyed the Themes on Paginini. For the price, these two Naxos CDs definitely shouldn't be missed for a fan of classical piano and particularly for fans of Rachmaninov.