Van Cliburn plays Rachmaninoff Sonata No. 2, Op. 36 (1/3)

[PetrichorAllegory]

Not only is this a great recording, but in my opinion this betters Horowitz's version of the piece. I still prefer the original to anything, but Horowitz chops it up too much for me. Van Cliburn's changes are tasteful and don't distract, and still retain the spirit of the original while perhaps changing some of the bits that were superfluous (for me however, no matter how much structural damage Rach may do to a piece, I'll give in to every little indulgence, because they're so fucking beautiful)

[iif5]

My fingers are seeking for mercy.

[darkblueangel1956]

Ai tempi di questa incisione Van Cliburn era al massimo delle doti interpretative e tecniche, della fama e della carriera. Però ... col tempo tutte queste doti sono sfumate, e sono apparse la "retorica accademica e didascalica" intepretativa, e una certa stanchezza per la routine forzata dalle tournée. Saper osare un fraseggio fiammeggiante e trascinante come Horowitz, avere intuizioni geniali e sopraffine come Sergio Fiorentino, non poteva assolutamente permettersele Van Cliburn, ahimé !!

[teojm37]

Nicholas Ho of Singapore performed this piece wonderfully tonight! Only 19, a true talent!

[Lyss27PIVI]

i just bought the sheet music today, wow i am in for a long haul to learn this lol

[f1f1s]

Making amendments to the score was the greatest crime committed by Rachmaninov. Van Cliburn restored justice many years before Kocsis...

[madlovba03]

@f1f1s Catch: /watch?v=tlQwBHKVros

[rugby52732]

Wonderful !! Is this the same recording that is on the "My Favorite Rachmaninoff" RCA lp, then cd ? Is this 1960 on a DVD ?

[AdamPage18]

one word: GENIUS.

[AdamPage18]

one word: GENIUS.

[MrStrav81]

This is a good recording of this piece. It's also the original version of the Sonata, so that is an added bonus.

If you want a good modern recording of version 1 of this Sonata, go with Zoltan Kocsis.

[HDGamingReplays]

@MrStrav81 Yakov Kasman also has an amazing interpretation of this version.

[electrocompany]

@MrStrav81 Agreed! I have always fancied Kocsis' version of the sonata, even more than Horowitz from 1968 actually.

[MrStrav81]

@electrocompany

I liked Horowitz's until I became familiar with the original version in its entirety. I don't like Horowitz's cutting and pasting of the two versions, even if Rachmaninoff himself approved it.

[lamontlewis]

How many ways does one say "I love you"? Which of those ways is not pleasing to the ear?

[misantropfagia]

LOVE the timbre of this piano

[TheArithrix]

The interpretation is fine, the quality of the recording is not.

[snaaptaker]

I first heard this recording ca.1962-63. I intensely disliked it. Sometime later, I bought the LP to see if I still disliked it--I did.

Now, 40-plus years later, I'm wondering what it was that I didn't like about it.

I have a vague memory of thinking it was too slow. But now my metabolism seems to have slowed down,also, and the tempi seem fine to me. Or, with age and experience comes some wisdom. Whatever.

I now like it quite a lot.

[Hervinbalfour]

I am torn between Michale Ponti's interpretation of 1977 and this performance as to what I prefer. They are both so vastly different but both so powerful. Cliburn plays it a slower tempo but as a result the shades and colors he brings out of just beautiful. Both are phenomenal interpretations. But am in love with both.

[goldberg72]

ma perche raramente si sente la prima sonata di rackmaninoff...e' stupenda se suonata bene

[HarpoMarx22]

This is my favorite performance of the Rach 2nd sonata. Cliburn's live recording of the Rach 3rd concerto is also my favorite for that warhorse. I think Cliburn is often under-rated. For the romantic repertoire, and Rach in particular, he was phenomenal. The way he shaped long musical lines; his passionate and reflective expressiveness; his thunderous bravura virtuosity in which he never banged, always producing beautiful rich tones - this is extraordinarily powerful and beautiul piano playing.

[EuphoricDan]

I've played his personal model D along with horowitz's... His piano is very heavy and agressive... One does not need to slam their body into the keyboard of VC's piano to get thunderous tones. To be honest, I don't know how he played soft with his piano regulated as it was.

[smb12321]

I've heard at least 10 versions of this and van Cliburn's is, without a doubt, the most poetic, the best and most originally interpreted of the bunch.  It actually sounds like a new piece in his hands. I'va always been fascinated by his phrasing and the rhythms he brings out.

[libetta]

ah, yes. cliburn's phrasing is one of the best i've ever heard. his playing has the rare gift of bringing out the story behind the piece, and in turn captures your imagination.

[anonymousQ45]

@smb12321 listen to Goran Filipec

[GregLile]

There's no unearthing involved. This recording is commercially available on the album "Van Cliburn: My Favorite Rachmaninoff" (try searching Amazon for that very phrase.) Buy the album.

[sondelachez]

whats the instrument?

[pianonine]

Certainly well-played in his fernetic way. ...3:30 on it's bang, bang, bang!

I think he lacks lustre and finish the way Ashkenaze, Weissenberg or even Pizzaro does it. None better than theirs.

[armusik]

Genius

[weikko79]

I've had this recording since forever. Thanks for uploading it, though.

[stephanilnyckyj]

the chord at :36 sounds strange to me, does he miss the A natural?

[thomj]

very astute, but who gives a damn?

[chonfei88]

lol!!!

[nosniborceda]

This is really nice. I am also working on my own rendition of the two versions (a real adventure to say the least, but rewarding!) and it always good to hear another take. This is the first I've heard this recording. I enjoy it thoroughly... Thank you!

[bineblies]

This is totally different then horowitz's version yet it is still very distinctive and unique itself!

[scottbos68]

i describe this piece as a whirlwind culminating into a tornado

i encourage you to seek the recording by weissenberg may to take a while to get your hands on it but its a real treasure

[smudgepots]

Thank you for unearthing this fabulous performance, which should be enough to silence those who fail to believe that van Cliburn was at one time in the very front rank of great pianists - perhaps the greatest the US had produced since William Kapell.