Sergei Rachmaninoff - Great Pianists of the 20th Century

Sergei Rachmaninov (Artist, Composer), Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), Frederic Chopin (Composer), Franz Liszt (Composer), Robert Schumann (Composer), Carl Tausig (Composer), Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Composer: Sergei Rachmaninov, Ludwig van Beethoven, Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt, Robert Schumann, et al.
• Audio CD (November 10, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B00000DI3E
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #287,277 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Theme & Variations 1-14, 19-28, 31 & 32: Variations In C Minor, WoO 80 (Excerpts)

2. Ballade No.3 In A Flat, Op.47

3. Scherzo No.3 In C Sharp Minor, Op.39

4. Waltz No. 7 In C Sharp Minor, Op.64 No.2

5. Waltz No. 8 In A Flat, Op.64 No.3

6. Piano Sonata No.2 In B Flat Minor, Op.35 'Funeral March': 1 Grave. Doppio movimento

7. Piano Sonata No.2 In B Flat Minor, Op.35 'Funeral March': 2 Scherzo - Piu lento - Tempo I

8. Piano Sonata No.2 In B Flat Minor, Op.35 'Funeral March': 3 March funebre. Lento

9. Piano Sonata No.2 In B Flat Minor, Op.35 'Funeral March': 4 Finale. Presto

10. Carnaval, Op.9: 1 Preambule

See all 33 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Violin Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Preludio

2. Violin Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Gavotte

3. Violin Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Gigue

4. Flight Of The Bumble-bee

5. Scherzo From 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

6. Man lebt nur einmal (Valse caprice, Op.167 No.2)

7. Lullaby, Op.16 No.1

8. Novembre: Troika (From 'Les saisons,' Op.37b)

9. Rachmaninoff: Polka de V.R.

10. Prelude In C Sharp Minor, Op. No.2

See all 23 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 A Mild Disagreement, December 29, 2000

By 

Donald C. Allen "Don Allen" (Carlisle, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sergei Rachmaninoff - Great Pianists of the 20th Century (Audio CD)

I just want to enter my mild disagreement with the "Music Fan from Pittsburgh", whose less than total endorsement of this recording might put off some folks, even though the reviewer did recommend it. These performances of Carnaval and the Chopin Sonata are two of the most astonishing piano performances I have ever heard, and I've been a student of the piano and pianists for well over 50 years now. Yes, Rubinstein's Scherzi are also essential; I'm not so sure about Pollini's Sonata (fabulous pianism that just leaves me cold). Rachmaninoff is in that rarified category of the 5 or 10 greatest pianists of the 20th century, and like each of them, he was absolutely unique. Anyone who wants to collect the work of the greatest pianists needs to have every note that Rachmaninoff recorded.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rachmaninoff as only he could play, March 22, 2000

By 

Hank Drake (Cleveland, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Sergei Rachmaninoff - Great Pianists of the 20th Century (Audio CD)

The Window in Time CDs (which stem from computerized piano rolls) are wonderful in their way, but one should not be without at least this 2CD sampler of Rachmaninoff's best solo recordings. The Schumann Carnaval remains the single greatest performance of this quixotic piece ever recorded. The Chopin Sonata, Op. 35 may not be "by the book" enough for modern tastes, but remains a shattering performance, one feels destroyed after hearing it. Rachmaninoff is, naturally, peerless in his own solo works. Incidentally, not all of these pieces were recorded on Steinway pianos. Despite what historical revisionists and Steinway propagandists may assert, Rachmaninoff's favorite piano was the Mason & Hamlin Model CC. (His first, acoustical, recording of his own Second Piano Concerto was made using a Mason & Hamlin.) Unfortunately, Masons were in short supply by the time many of these recordings were made, and Rachmaninoff, like many other pianists, was compelled to use Steinways in most concert halls.

Some of Rachmaninoff's earliest recordings were made on an upright! Whatever piano he used, Rachmaninoff made it sound great.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this CD!, May 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Sergei Rachmaninoff - Great Pianists of the 20th Century (Audio CD)

In response to the previous review: sure, the recording isn't great, but it's by no means bad either

"A Window In Time" is fine if you want *some* idea of how Rachmaninov sounded and no background noise. But this CD will give you the whole picture, and will show why many consider Rachmaninoff to be the greatest pianist of the century.