Composer: Sergey Rachmaninov
Performer: Arthur Rubinstein
Orchestra: NBC Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra
Conductor: Vladimir Golschmann, Walter Susskind
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Naxos
Catalogue: 8111289
Release: 2008
Size: 128 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
01. I. Moderato – Allegro
02. II. Adagio sostenuto
03. III. Allegro scherzando
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43
04. Introduction. Allegro vivace. Variation 1 (Precedente)
05. Theme. L’istesso tempo
06. Variation 2: L’istesso tempo
07. Variation 3: L’istesso tempo
08. Variation 4: Più vivo
09. Variation 5: Tempo precedente
10. Variation 6: L’istesso tempo
11. Variation 7: Meno mosso, a tempo moderato
12. Variation 8: Tempo I
13. Variation 9: L’istesso tempo
14. Variation 10: Poco marcato
15. Variation 11: Moderato
16. Variation 12: Tempo di minuetto
17. Variation 13: Allegro
18. Variation 14: L’istesso tempo
19. Variation 15: Più vivo scherzando
20. Variation 16. Allegretto
21. Variation 17: (Allegretto)
22. Variation 18: Andante cantabile
23. Variation 19: A tempo vivace
24. Variation 20: Un poco più vivo
25. Variation 21: Un poco più vivo
26. Variation 22: Un poco più vivo (Alla breve)
27. Variation 23. L’istesso tempo
28. Variation 24: A tempo un poco meno mosso
Morceaux de Fantaisie, Op. 3
29. No. 2, Prelude in C-Sharp Minor
Although Rubinstein did not play many works by Rachmaninov, he made four recordings of the Piano Concerto No. 2. If, in this May 1946 recording, Rubinstein’s adherence to the text is not always completely accurate, his performance is full of exhilaration and panache with fast tempos and a climax judged to have any audience jumping to its feet. The 1947 recording of the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini is remarkable, even today, for the high quality of the sound, described as “Stunning! The recording is almost too vivid”, by a critic in 1948. The only solo work of Rachmaninov that Rubinstein committed to disc was the famous Prelude in C sharp minor Op. 3 No. 2 which he recorded twice.