Our Summer BAL 28 : Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 3

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Not heard of him apart from the revolting paedo Liberal MP (now deceased so he can't sue) but it clearly isn't him. Just for clarity.

This one, visnick:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_Smith_(pianist)

... the first movement of the concerto recording is available on youTube, as is this shorter fare to give you some idea of Smith's considerable Musicianship:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kotPsOMzWL0

[Nick Armstrong]

Love it to bits, have to say. Final page can be great for a laugh if soloist and orchestra part company as happened in a spectacular car-crash on a live transmission of Valentina Lisitsa playing with the Bournemouth SO a few months ago. Can't remember who the conductor was, but it would be interesting to know who was to blame!

It was Jac van Steen conducting the BSO's inaugural 2013/14 concert, a late replacement for an indisposed Kirill Karabits...

http://www.theftr.co.uk/wagner-and-lisitsa-launch-bso-season/

I remember the shambles in question

Like you, I love the piece to bits. It bucks the trend of piano concertos in the sense that I always feel that the last movement is the most inspired and successful of the three (so often it's the first movement of a concerto - Brahms 1 being perhaps the classic example - that carries the main load, and the third movement that can seem an afterthought).

The final climax can be one of the most exhilarating in all music, esp. if the trumpets get their crowning notes bang on.

Heard Pletnev play it at the RFH and it was electric (can't remember the band or conductor); and am excited to have tickets to hear Trifonov do it next year.

Recording-wise I go for Volodos/Levine and Argerich/Chailly.

[mikealdren]

Shine cost $5.5M to make. It grossed over 50 million in theaters and perhaps another 20 in video. Not Star Wars money, but I wish my investments performed as well. It also won a few Oscars....

I was an undergraduate in the 1970s when Vladimir Horowitz ended one of his retirements. He played this piece in New York with Ormandy conducting the NY Phil. A recording was issued from the concert and sold quite well. I was fortunate enough to attend his next Concert, in Ann Arbor, featuring the same work, this time with Ormandy conducting the Philadelphians.
My two favorites are Ashkenazy with Ormandy /Philly, and the Composer with Ormandy. The latter makes many passages come alive which tend to sound like mindless note spinning in other recordings.

I was also an undergrad at the time and I remember the Horowitz and Ashkenazy recordings coming out at the same time. The Horowitz was televised and I thought he struggled too much for repeated listening so I too bought the Ashkenazy but somehow it never totally won me over.

I now have Horowitz/Reiner, Janis and Volodos, all of which I like I their different ways.

Mike

[visualnickmos]

This one, visnick:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_Smith_(pianist)

... the first movement of the concerto recording is available on youTube, as is this shorter fare to give you some idea of Smith's considerable Musicianship:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kotPsOMzWL0

Thank you, ferney.

The Rachmaninov prelude is taken at quite a lick in places, with some nice 'touches'. From what I hear, I think I may investigate Mr Smith's recordings further - YouTube, etc.

[Barbirollians]

It is scandalous that the Berman/Abbado is out of the catalogue .

[tigajen]

His Dohnanyi Nursery Var (with Sargent) have never been bettered IMV.On same disc as the Rach 3
Sorry! Referring to Cyril Smith.

[richardfinegold]

I was also an undergrad at the time and I remember the Horowitz and Ashkenazy recordings coming out at the same time. The Horowitz was televised and I thought he struggled too much for repeated listening so I too bought the Ashkenazy but somehow it never totally won me over.

I now have Horowitz/Reiner, Janis and Volodos, all of which I like I their different ways.

Mike

They did indeed get released simultaneously. It was puzzling tat the time that RCA would release two recordings led by Ormandy, but it is the Soloist that sells the records. I remember the hoopla about the Horowitz but after hearing the Ashkenazy enjoying it so much more.
I agree that Horowitz sounds challenged. The concert I saw was much better and he seemed much more relaxed.

[richardfinegold]

I don't know if anyone here has mentioned the Earl Wild collaboration with Horenstein . It is a bracing, no nonsense account that can sound like a tonic after so many other schmaltzy renditions.

[BBMmk2]

I have Argerich/Chailly, Ashkenazy/Previn. Not many, it seems. I see how Ferney and Cali have come to their opinions of this concerto but, despite that, I still lopve this work, enormously. Like Cali, I dislike 1 & 4, as well. Especially 4, the whole work does sound rather weak, even with Michaelangeli playing it. And I expect other people here, will agree, that if Michelangeli can't deliver, then, who can?

[richardfinegold]

I have Argerich/Chailly, Ashkenazy/Previn. Not many, it seems. I see how Ferney and Cali have come to their opinions of this concerto but, despite that, I still lopve this work, enormously. Like Cali, I dislike 1 & 4, as well. Especially 4, the whole work does sound rather weak, even with Michaelangeli playing it. And I expect other people here, will agree, that if Michelangeli can't deliver, then, who can?

Earl Wild and the Composer, for starters.