Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff - Paganini Rhapsody (1)

[girty1600]

A twisted bastard, he was. I love him, and his work. Foreverandever. Amen.

[drjaadmdlra]

I heard Asiya Korepanova play this in Sarasota , Florida at the sarasota opera house....she is overwhelmingly talented and sounded as well, if not better, then the master, himself, Rachmaninov......what a pleasure to hear such a talented pianist...

[1hanamoon]

love marybeth

[miiicklyn]

i'd like to think of what you call the "first variation" as the theme for this rhapsody. in my opinion, they form the basis for variation more than the original paganini theme. furthermore, the "first variation" seems more of an abstraction of the paganini theme than a variation--it reducing the paganini theme to the bare notes that keeps intact the tonality of the paganini theme.

[joebstarsurfer]

just heard some awful american song trying to rip this off .Its much slower and has x factor singing.

[peachmelba16]

Still really love Variation 10 also..(wrath of God). It is really bone chilling!

[peachmelba16]

Fingers like steel bands. My favorite Rach music. Just love this...so haunting and textural at the same time. It has the ability to transport. I love especially Variations 11 and 12. # 12 has real Russian soul .

[peachmelba16]

Fingers like steel bands. My favorite Rach music. Just love this...so haunting and textural at the same time. It has the ability to transport.

[sallyrob101]

Rachmaninoff made this recording in the Academy of Music with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Leopold Stokowski in late 1934, soon after the same musicians had given the world premiere. RCA's digital remastering has greatly cleaned up the sound. It is, of course, a superb performance by Rachmaninoff and the Philadelphians. Everything went well that day and we can enjoy it much more today, thanks to this clearer version.

[MLBuckProductions]

Variation 8 is one of my favorites

[OrchestrationOnline]

Brilliant! If we could only go back in time and record him in a responsive hall in digital stereo. *sigh*

[violavonschnitzel]

I believe that there have been reconstructions of his piano rolls made and re-recorded using modern technology. I got out one such CD from the library - even though it was only a piano roll recording, one could FEEL the power of his playing, being channeled through the decades.

[lolitadiidii1218]

wonderful...thanx for this one...and for breaking it down for us non music playing persons :-)

[violavonschnitzel]

Haha no problem. It took me ages to get the captions in the right places on Windows Movie Maker - this was in the days before annotations.

[U38066]

Var. 12 is my favorite!!!!

[violavonschnitzel]

One of mine, too.

[vagia24]

@U38066 mine too:-)

[HiyaHolaHey]

Simply the best! Long live the Genious and His Music!!!

[violavonschnitzel]

I salute you!

[bouhet22]

finally, a version without excessive sentimentality. Straight forward powerful, not sentimental. Thank you.

[violavonschnitzel]

Exactly how Rachmaninoff wanted it played!

[rollindubs28]

amazing