Here are listed some important recordings, milestones if you will, that help us understand how Rachmaninoff’s music should sound like. We are very fortunate to have some of his recordings still in existance today. Wouldn't it be wonderful to hear the other great composers of the past play, such as Mozart or Beethoven? It is truly a real blessing to be able to own these and other important recordings and to be able to hear how Rachmaninoff played his own compositions, and others as well.  Some of these albums are still available and some are not or are hard extremely to find. Most of these collections I was most fortunate to find by being in the right place at the right time. I encourage all those who enjoy Rach to purchase these fine works!

 I have listed the albums that you may want to pursue to add to your collection of "Must Haves"

Rachmaninoff Plays Rachmaninoff

Concertos Nos. 2 and 3 The Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy, Leopold Stokowski, Conductors

Summary:

This recording is important in such as we get to hear his most popular piano concertos. The bad side is that no effort was made to take out any of the “hiss”  “snaps” and other sounds that come with this type of recording technique. The CD insert says that the reason they did not take out any of those noises, is that they did not want to take away from the performance or sound made by the musicians. I feel they should have at least cleaned up some of the crackle. I understand where they are coming from, but in a modern day, where we are used to crystal clear sound recordings, it’s hard to tolerate this recording because of it’s impurities.   Remember when Fantasia was re-released in 1990? They found the original recordings and took out all the “hiss’ and “snaps” and improved it’s sound.  I think they did a phenomenal job. I do have a recording of Rach’s that they did take most them out. It sounds much better and eliminates the distraction of the unnecessary noise.

Rachmaninoff Plays Rachmaninoff

Piano Concerti Nos. 1 and 4 -- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini The Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy, Leopold Stokowski, Conductors

Summary:

Here are recordings made in 1940 & 1934. Sound quality is probably as good as you are going to get for how old it is.  It’s interesting to hear how Rach plays his own music and then compare it with how today’s concert pianists perform it. His technique is his own, but there are only a few concert pianists today that can come to making his music sound tolerable.