Rachmaninov plays Rachmaninov

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Sergey Rachmaninov, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Fritz Kreisler, Franz Schubert, Modest Mussorgsky, Felix Mendelssohn, Johann Sebastian Bach, Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov

Label: Gold Seal

Media Format: Cassette

Media Runtime: 0

Mastering:

Mono
ADD

Catalogue Number: GK87766

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
(24) Preludes, Movement: C sharp minor, Op. 3/2 Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
(24) Preludes, Movement: G flat, Op. 23/10 Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
(24) Preludes, Movement: E, Op. 32/3 Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
(24) Preludes, Movement: F minor, Op. 32/6 Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(24) Preludes, Movement: F, Op. 32/7 Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
(9) Etudes-tableaux, Movement: No. 2 in C Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(9) Etudes-tableaux, Movement: No. 7 in E flat Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(9) Etudes-tableaux, Movement: No. 6 in A minor Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Daisies Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Oriental Sketch Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
(5) Morceaux de fantaisie, Movement: No. 3, Mélodie in E Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(5) Morceaux de fantaisie, Movement: No. 5, Sérénade in B flat minor Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(7) Morceaux de salon, Movement: No. 5 in G, Humoresque Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Lilacs Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(6) Moments musicaux, Movement: Allegretto, E flat minor Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Polka de W. R. Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
(3) Sonatas and 3 Partitas, Movement: Partita No. 3 in E, BWV1006 Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(A) Midsummer Night's Dream, Movement: Scherzo (Entr'acte to Act 2) Felix Mendelssohn, Composer
Felix Mendelssohn, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Liebesfreud Fritz Kreisler, Composer
Fritz Kreisler, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(Die) Schöne Müllerin, Movement: No. 2, Wohin? Franz Schubert, Composer
Franz Schubert, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(The) Fair at Sorochintsï, 'Sorochinskaya yarmar, Movement: Gopak Modest Mussorgsky, Composer
Modest Mussorgsky, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(6) Songs, Movement: No. 1, Cradle song (wds. Maykov) Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Composer
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(The) Tale of Tsar Saltan, Movement: Flight of the bumble-bee Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, Composer
Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano

Composer or Director: Sergey Rachmaninov, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Fritz Kreisler, Franz Schubert, Modest Mussorgsky, Felix Mendelssohn, Johann Sebastian Bach, Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov

Label: Gold Seal

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 70

Mastering:

Mono
ADD

Catalogue Number: GD87766

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
(24) Preludes, Movement: C sharp minor, Op. 3/2 Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
(24) Preludes, Movement: G flat, Op. 23/10 Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
(24) Preludes, Movement: E, Op. 32/3 Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(24) Preludes, Movement: F minor, Op. 32/6 Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(24) Preludes, Movement: F, Op. 32/7 Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(9) Etudes-tableaux, Movement: No. 2 in C Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
(9) Etudes-tableaux, Movement: No. 7 in E flat Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(9) Etudes-tableaux, Movement: No. 6 in A minor Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Daisies Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Oriental Sketch Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
(5) Morceaux de fantaisie, Movement: No. 3, Mélodie in E Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(5) Morceaux de fantaisie, Movement: No. 5, Sérénade in B flat minor Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
(7) Morceaux de salon, Movement: No. 5 in G, Humoresque Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Lilacs Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(6) Moments musicaux, Movement: Allegretto, E flat minor Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Polka de W. R. Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(3) Sonatas and 3 Partitas, Movement: Partita No. 3 in E, BWV1006 Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(A) Midsummer Night's Dream, Movement: Scherzo (Entr'acte to Act 2) Felix Mendelssohn, Composer
Felix Mendelssohn, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Liebesfreud Fritz Kreisler, Composer
Fritz Kreisler, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(Die) Schöne Müllerin, Movement: No. 2, Wohin? Franz Schubert, Composer
Franz Schubert, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(The) Fair at Sorochintsï, 'Sorochinskaya yarmar, Movement: Gopak Modest Mussorgsky, Composer
Modest Mussorgsky, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(6) Songs, Movement: No. 1, Cradle song (wds. Maykov) Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Composer
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
(The) Tale of Tsar Saltan, Movement: Flight of the bumble-bee Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, Composer
Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov, Piano
Very fortunately, Rachmaninov's consummate genius as a pianist was captured on a number of records. They stand as one of the truly important legacies of the early years of the gramophone industry. In the recordings of his own music one is especially interested to hear how such a grim-looking man could be reconciled with some of the most tender and whimsical pieces ever written for the instrument. It turns out that his interpretations are model in terms of fluent, yet almost classically controlled, expressivity. The subtlety of Rachmaninov's artistry never acted against his very lively attitude towards performance.
After a selection of lesser-known Preludes, each of which contains that miraculously balanced relationship between melody and accompaniment for which the composer-pianist was idolized, there are three of the Etudes-tableaux and the piece Daisies. Whereas two of the former show the grittier and more gaunt side of the Russian, Daisies, by way of contrast, has the feel of a Gershwin song transcription. Its warmth and colour are indescribable.
Three earlier pieces demonstrate just how early in his creative life Rachmaninov was able to find a distinctive style. The dynamic contrasts prescribed in the Humoresque may have been ironed out here in consideration for the recording process, but the latter part of the piece has a power and diablerie that almost outdoes Horowitz. Both the Polka de VR and the Liebesfreud have a far more directly light and gay mood than one normally hears. Everywhere there is a gentle, teasing humour. The Bach, recorded a year before Rachmaninov's death, shows some deterioration in his playing. Of the other transcriptions, the Schubert really is pretty terrible with its highly elaborate accompaniment. The Tchaikovsky, in which there is a melancholy and dreamy use of piano tone, finds the pianist delighting in the pureness of the instrument's sonority.
This anthology includes nearly all the electric 78s that Rachmaninov recorded of his own music. They date from April 1925, the year in which the first electric recordings came into general use, to February 1942. However, nine of the pieces are the product of one's day's sessions in March 1940. Quite naturally, the sound-quality varies a certain amount, as does the amount of surface noise, with the Gopak being about the most primitive. Nevertheless, a definite and individual use of piano tone is apparent in every note that Rachmaninov plays and this consistency itself speaks for the fidelity of the recordings.'

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