Customer Reviews

Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 - 4

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The true joy of this package comes in the way that Ashkenazy's beautiful and steady playing combines seamlessly with Previn's inspired conducting. It is almost as if the piano and the orchestra are playing as one instrument. Of course in a set of Rachmaninoff concertos, the most important are the 2nd and 3rd, and so I shall concentrate my remarks on these. Quite simple Ashkenazy's second is the finest I (or gramophone magazine) have ever heard. The tempos are perfect, the sound rich and the playing luxurious. Ashkenazy plays without a sense of his virtuosity which greatly adds to the artistic integrity of the performance. Indeed it is this which raises the level of the performance above that of flashier versions by Van Cliburn and Sviatoslav Richter. It is, however, the recording of the third that is most intriguing. I am used to pyrotechnical performances of this concerto (I have two by Horowitz and one by Argerich - the Horowtiz/Reiner is unquestionably the greatest recording of all), however, this reading of the work is notable for its lack of showmanship. Ashkenazy takes the work slowly, playing the long chordal cadenza, but he plays it so darkly, so powerfully. The work appears very different to the more "virtuosic" recordings, and is simply fascinating. The conducting of Previn is simply breath-taking as well. Never has the orchestral part had so much power. I have seen this work live twice, but somehow this recording manages to supercede the orchestral excitement of seeing a live performance. The crescendos at the end of the two final movements are stunning, and one simply has to take one's hat off to Andre Previn. In general, therefore, this collection would be very difficult to beat, as is well worth the asking price.

I first became acquainted with the Rachmaninov piano concertos on a cold, starlit winter night, spent listening to the radio some years ago. The performances were by Rachmaninov himself, dating from the 1930's I believe, and the cracks and the hisses of the old recordings only seemed to heighten the sense of gentle nostalgia and 'remembrance of times past' inherent in the music.

Soon afterwards, I came across these Ashkenazy / Previn interpretations of the P.C.s, bought a copy and immersed myself in the orchestral and pianistic bravura, quite wholeheartedly I must say!

For, whereas the vintage Rachmaninov performances (naturally) have a very special place in this repertoire, these '70s recordings more than meet the challenge. The overall sound is full-bodied and warm, detailed without being overtly 'clean' and clinical - and the same can be said for the playing itself. Ashkenazy rather exceeds himself even in the most demanding virtuoso passages, and the accompanying orchestra follows close behind. But most important of all, the interpretations are not mere virtuosity for its own sake; they lack neither fire nor sensibility. Throughout, there is a somewhat dark, Slavonic passion running through the music that keeps you on the edge of your seat from the first note to the last. This is especially true with the second concerto, where the gradually swelling chord sequences of the piano prepare the way for the orchestral entry - and what an entry it is: rarely, if ever, has any piece of music conveyed a sense of longing and homesickness so poignantly. And, from then on to the brilliantly elated final pages, the performance is imbued with unmatched melodic and lyric inspiration.

The second and the third concertos are the ones I personally tend to cherish the most, but I suspect that anyone who loves Rachmaninov will want the other two as well - so why hesitate?

I love Rachmaninoff, especially these piano concertos, and Ashkenazy and Previn provide us with masterful performances. You really need to compare other performances of these concertos to know just how good these are. The beauty of these performances is that everything comes together with such refinement. Previn exhibits a great understanding of these pieces and the LSO responds well (as usual). Ashkenazy is precise and yet expressive at the same time. He articulates each note so clearly. But more than this, Previn and Ashkenazy are magically attuned to each other. The music flows with a perfect balance between piano and orchestra.

These analog recordings from Decca are excellently engineered. The dynamic range is exceptional with a wide soundstage. As with other London/Decca and DG recordings, the midrange brass has a slight edge to it. Also, Ashkenazy is close miked, so his piano extends across 60% of the soundstage, which is not exactly realistic. However, these are minor quibbles that do not detract from a masterful performance and an otherwise expansive, crisp recording.

There is no reason to restrict oneself to a single performance of these marvelous concertos. But, if ever I had to restore my collection, I would purchase this set first.

4 piano concertos by none other than composer Rachmaninov. While I think there are other CD's recommendable for their insightful reading and inspiration (Most notable has to be the Horowitz/Reiner 3rd I want to recommend), there's great piano-playing here (not forgetting the orchestra).

A drawback might be that listeners who prefer more 'passion' should maybe look elsewhere: Ashkenazy is a more poetic player, and as such delivers some stunning poetry here. Quality is often the deciding factor, however, and this 2-CD set offers just that. Perhaps you'll find the 2nd here worth the price of admission.

Lastly, if you want to look for more forcible playing, then consider Argerich by all means. The Philips full-price CD is great, but Philips also has one mid-priced edition.

These are brilliant performances of Sergei Rachmaninov's four piano concertos! Pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy originally recorded them with the London Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andre Previn at Kingsway Hall in London in 1972. Ashkenazy demonstrates superb artistry and musicianship on this "Decca Double Decker" CD set, playing each concerto with extraordinary warmth and expressiveness. The LSO's accompaniment is outstanding in both its poetry and precision. I found the slow movement of Concerto No. 3 to be particularly enjoyable for its depth of feeling. The digitally remastered sound is absolutely outstanding, aided by the warm ambience of Kingsway Hall. Awarded a three-star rating (signifying "an outstanding performance and recording in every way,") by the "Penguin Guide to Compact Discs," this two-CD set should not be missed my any fan of Rachmaninov's music.

This is a very good set of Rachmaninov's piano works for a very reasonable price indeed. For those who are unfamiliar with the great russian composer's piano works, from the blazing horns, swelling piano chords and seductive strings opening the first piano concerto you feel right away you're in for a very special musical experience.

Normally, when you know and appreciate what a musician has created throughout his career, there's almost always one piece of work that stands out or that you like more than the others. When it comes to Rachmaninov's piano works, mine would certainly be the Piano Concerto no 3, one of the most beautiful piano works that were ever written, and also the Concerto no 4. There's a certain nostalgia about this latter work, like feelings about a past gone forever, and you can feel this leitmotiv during the whole concerto. Maybe the fact that Rachmaninov wrote this wonderful concerto after having moved permanently to the US and therefore feeling homesick has something to do with it.

As for Mr Ashkenazy, he simply is the best interpreter when it comes to Rachmaninov's piano works. The great Vladimir is temperate rather than romantic, cool and constantly in control: sometimes he seems pouring out rivers of emotions and passion without getting carried away though. He has the musicality and intelligence to understand exactly how these concertos work. He has phenomenal technique, original approach, and his touch is quite fiery at times, gentle and tender at others. He can be poetic and passionate when he needs to.

In Rachmaninov's piano concertos the orchestra plays a vital role, often playing the main theme melodies while the piano accompanies, which is rather unusual. In this regard, the London Symphonic Orchestra and conductor A. Prévin are one of the best. Couple this with Rachmaninov's music and Ashkenazy's interpretation, and you're in for a very special musical treat indeed.

I can't speak for anyone else, but for me Vladimir Ashkenazy represents the Gold Standard for performance of the Rachmaninov concertos. The power and sonority he achieves in the first movement of the Third Concerto to my mind surpass even Horowitz. (I notice a lot of reviewers diss Ashkenazy in favor of Argerich, whose version of the Third Concerto I haven't heard. But Ashkenazy suits me fine.) My only complaint with this set is that it doesn't include the Paganini Variations, as other boxed sets of the Rachmaninov concertos do. Otherwise, it's marvelous.

Ashkenazy is truly a great pianist of personal poeticness. He lends to these concertos much color and depth. I have heard many many many renditions of these concertos and Ashkenazy's readings still remain my favorite along side of Vasary's .. Ashkenazy's 3rd concerto is absolutely wonderfully played, and the third movement is unmatched- mainly because of Previn's support while Ashkenazy delivers the intermezzo with much spellbinding playing of delight and energy. I honestly had to stop and rewind that part of the the 3rd movement over and over again because I failed to grasp onto how great the listening experience truly becomes (the horns in the section that Rachmaninov and Horowitz omit truly turns that variation into an emotional uprise).. Hear for yourself, and believe it when they say that Ashkenazy's readings are worth your money!

After listening to a recording of Rachmaninoff's 2nd concerto and hearing a lot about the 3rd concerto, I jumped at buying this CD because of the low cost for two CDs - I was not disappointed.

For me the highlight by far is the third piano concerto, where Ashkenazy seems to pour out passion without getting carried away. This recording I much prefer to Argerich's recording (passionate, but little restraint and thought put into that performance) and even Horowitz's (although this may be because of it's worse sound quality). The first movement is played slower than most other performances, but is filled with passion and technical mastery. I am starting to learn this concerto and know how difficult it is! I was glad to see that Ashkenazy used the longer, chordal codenza rather than the shorter one used by Horowitz and Argerich (those are the only other recordings I've heard) with I much prefer.

The first and fourth concertos are also fabulously played but for me they don't compare to the third. The second concerto, however, was a little bit of a disappointment for me (not enough for me to give the discs 4 stars, however). Because I have already learned this concerto, I'm probably quicker to find faults with Ashkenazy's playing here. If I could put my finger on what I don't like about it it would be the balance between the piano and orchestra - you can hardly hear the piano at some of the most difficult sections. Still, the orchestra sounds beautiful and so does the piano when you can hear it.

Since listening to this disc Ashkenazy has quickly become one of my favorite pianists - as has Levine as a conductor. I would heartily recommend this CD for anyone, but especially for anyone who ever aspires to play any of these pieces - all four of the are beautiful and these performances are well thought-out and powerful.

These CDs features some of the greatest piano work ever created - Thats the good news! The bad news is that this recording has the worst MIXING job I think Ive ever heard on a classical CD.

It's not the quality of the recording so much as that the dynamic range is terrible (ie. The highs of the pieces are too close to the lows).

Then the biggest problem is that the piano is drowned out of the mix by the rest of the symphony for most of the performances (take note of the 3rd Concerto...it's a travesty to miss such finger-work!).

So there you have it. Find yourself another recording, I only wish I had another to recommend...