The Best of Rachmaninov (FLAC)

Performer: Maria Kliegel, Bernd Glemser, Idil Biret, Jeno Jando, Raymond Havenith
Orchestra: Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava), National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Enrique Bátiz, György Lehel, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Stephen Gunzenhauser
Composer: Sergey Rachmaninov
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: FLAC
Label: Naxos
Size: 266 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

# Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 Moderato
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
Performed by Budapest Symphony Orchestra
with Jeno Jando
Conducted by Gyorgy Lehel

# Vocalise, transcriptions for various instruments, Op. 34/14
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
with Maria Kliegel, Raymond Havenith

# Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Introduction and 24 Variations), in A minor for piano & orchestra, Op. 43 Variations 18-24
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
Performed by Budapest Symphony Orchestra
with Jeno Jando
Conducted by Gyorgy Lehel

# Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27 Adagio
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
Performed by Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

# Prelude for piano No.1 in C sharp minor (“The Bells of Moscow”), Op. 3/2
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
with Idil Biret

# Prelude for piano No.6 in G minor, Op. 23/5
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
with Idil Biret

# Symphonic Dances, for orchestra (or 2 pianos), Op. 45 No.2, Andante con moto
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Enrique Batiz

# Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 Allegro ma non tanto
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
Performed by National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland
with Bernd Glemser
Conducted by Jerzy Maksymiuk

Excellent Sampler of Rachmaninoff’s works

This CD offers excellent performances of the most popular excerpts from Rachmaninoff’s famous works.

Two outstanding pianists in the Naxos label perform the Piano Concerto #2 and #3. Jeno Jando plays the Piano Concerto #2 (Moderato) with great virtuosity and dynamics; Bernd Glemser is an excellent interpreter of the Piano Concerto #3 (Allegro ma non tanto). They are backed up ably by the Budapest Symphony Orchestra / conductor Gyorgy Lehel (for Concerto #2) and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland / conductor Jerzy Maksymiuk (for Concerto #3).

Jando also plays the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (which includes the famous theme in the movie “Somewhere in Time”)

Maria Kliegel (cello) and Raymund Havenith (piano) perform the Vocalise Op. 34. It is such a moving and beautiful piece.

Idil Biret offers her idiosyncratic and passionate performances of the Prelude in C sharp minor and the Prelude in G minor. Biret is well-known for her performances of Chopin and Rachmaninoff in the Naxos label.

Enrique Batiz is an outstanding interpreter of the Symphonic Dances — here he captures the beauty of the Andante movement. I also enjoyed Stephen Gunzenhauser and CSR Radio Symphony’s expansive performance of the Adagio movement in Symphony #2.

All the performances in this “Best Of” are excellent as is the sound quality. It is an excellent introduction to one of the greatest Russian composers in the Romantic era. Highly Recommended!