Rachmaninoff Conducts Rachmaninoff

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Rachmaninov's renown as a composer and pianist overshadowed his highly regarded podium abilities. He conducted little after leaving Russia and even turned down the music directorship of the Boston Symphony. The three recordings Rachmaninov made as a conductor, however, reveal a commanding rostrum presence. He conducts his own music much as he plays it on the piano, favoring lean, transparent sonorities, incisive rhythm, and cutting-edge accents that propel the music forward. What's more, the sound he gets from Stokowski's Philadelphians is more streamlined and ascetic in timbre than Stoki's richer, more sensuous palette. Rachmaninov's driving leadership allows no lingering over his big tunes, as he shapes his rhapsodic scores with architectural purpose. The sonics are dim, and the transfers could have been better, but that doesn't undermine the importance of these potent, composer-led performances. --Jed Distler

Tracks:

Ilse of the Dead, Op. 29
Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14
Symphony No. 3, Op. 44 In A Minor: Lento; Allegro Moderato
Symphony No. 3, Op. 44 In A Minor: Adagio ma non troppo
Symphony No. 3, Op. 44 In A Minor: Allegro

Amazon.com

Rachmaninov's renown as a composer and pianist overshadowed his highly regarded podium abilities. He conducted little after leaving Russia and even turned down the music directorship of the Boston Symphony. The three recordings Rachmaninov made as a conductor, however, reveal a commanding rostrum presence. He conducts his own music much as he plays it on the piano, favoring lean, transparent sonorities, incisive rhythm, and cutting-edge accents that propel the music forward. What's more, the sound he gets from Stokowski's Philadelphians is more streamlined and ascetic in timbre than Stoki's richer, more sensuous palette. Rachmaninov's driving leadership allows no lingering over his big tunes, as he shapes his rhapsodic scores with architectural purpose. The sonics are dim, and the transfers could have been better, but that doesn't undermine the importance of these potent, composer-led performances. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

More Historic Rachmaninoff........2007-02-22

As many may already know, the great Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff was a masterful pianist. Besides this, he was also a dynamic conductor. His only recorded examples of his conducting are displayed on this disc.
Although they were recorded in 1929 and 1939 and there is some slight hiss to be heard, these performances of Rachmaninoff conducting his own works are a force to be reckoned with.
His 1929 recording of "The Isle of the Dead" is full of relentless emotion and never loses its intensity throughout. His abridged version of "Vocalise" (also from 1929) is full of lush romanticism and beauty.
To close out the disc, we are treated with a very special performance of his Third Symphony which was recorded in 1939. In all honesty, while modern recordings of this symphony retain the power and integrity of Rachamninoff's recording heard here, they lack the one element that only Rachmaninoff can give - passion. Throughout the symphony's three movements, you can definitely hear Rachmaninoff's passion cut through the speakers and this is what makes this recording unique from all the others which followed.
For the die-hard Rachmaninoff fan, this CD is definitely a must. This disc is also a part of the Rachmaninoff "Complete Recordings" box set so if you already own the set, there's no need to buy this disc. However, regardless of whether you choose this disc or the box set, these are some treasured classics coming from the baton of the very one who created them - Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Really Disappointing.......2006-02-28

The performances on these recordings are wonderful. Truely treasures. It's really unfortunate, though, that the transfer is so incredibly poor. Here's the worst part: the mastering engineer is proud of it. There's a disclaimer about the mastering in the liner notes: the original 78-rpm record was transfered to tape then digitized for the CD with all care taken to preserve the quality of the original platter. I appreciate the care and concept but the hiss is infuriating and it really renders this collection almost unlistenable. (The 2 stars are for the perfomances--they're really amazing.)

Definately listen to this collection before you buy it.

Required listening.......2000-01-27

Unfortunately nobody nowadays plays Rachmaninov like Rachmaninov himself. In these recordings, as in his concertoes, he sticks to the text of the music and keeps far from the overblown sentimentality and 'romanticism' we have come to associate with his very name.The textures are always open, the rythm is crisp and sharp to the point of being jazzy.The Vocalise should be required listening for everyone who wants to play rachmaninov. A total absence of 'romantic' sentiment allows the music to speak for itself and deeply move us by its honesty and simplicity.

Unutterably poignant.......1998-09-18

The first two movements of the symphony may well be the greatest recording ever made of anything. The whole disc shows that Rachmaninov is as great as a conductor as a pianist - possibly even better

Rachmaninov as conductor.......1998-09-11

Sergei Rachmaninov was renowned in his time as a conductor as well as pianist and composer. These recordings are the only documents we have of him in this role.

Composers are not always the best interpreters of their own compositions (eg, Stravinsky). Rachmaninov is the exception, as these recordings prove. The performance of the somewhat rambling Third Sympony is more thoughtful and detailed than most other performances, with slower tempi and carefully considered climaxes. Perhaps others have achieved a more viscerally thrilling result, but this performance, sumptuously played by the Philadelphians, is moving and quite successful, as are the "fillers", "Isle of the Dead" and "Vocalise".

The recordings, quite good for their time, from 1929 and 1940, document a performing style that has gone out of fashion. On these records the Philadelphia strings use more portamenti (slides) between the notes than modern players dare to do. Some listeners may find this disturbing, but playing this music without these expressive "slides" is like playing Baroque music without ornamentation,

Although these records were made by Victor, and BMG/RCA must have the original masters, the digital transfers for this RCA Victor Gold Seal CD are not very successful. The Symphony in particular is very disappointing, noisy and unsteady in pitch. The Ward Marston transfers on Pearl are preferable, though they seem to have been made from old shellac copies.

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