Rachmaninoff: Concerto No 2 (1950) Kapell/Steinberg

[@leestamm3187]

An excellent performance. Nice polishing. Thanks, Paul. I'm another guy who cut his Rachmaninoff teeth on his own recordings. Eons ago, an elderly neighbor lady for whom I did yard work had a collection of classical records, both 78's and LP's. Among them were great pianists, including Rachmaninoff, Hofmann, Rubenstein, Hess, and Backhaus. After working in the yard or shoveling snow from her driveway, she would invite me in for refreshments and put on one of her records, and sometimes, if I requested, played a short piece on her baby grand piano. I already enjoyed classical music, but became much more aware of the pianistic while art sitting in her living room, sipping iced tea or hot chocolate, and listening to the music. It was my first significant exposure to Rachmaninoff, and I've been a fan ever since. (Sorry for rambling, but your record store story kindled the memory.)

[@MrTimber101]

The Robin Hood Dell Orchestra was actually the Philadelphia Orchestra. However, RCA Victor couldn't use the name "Philadelphia Orchestra" from 1944 to 1968 because they were under contract to Columbia. It's true William Kapell was a really great pianist whose career was cut short by a plane crash in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California in October 1953. This performance is outstanding.

[@j.ag.3537]

Description has a typo... You must change furtwangler on the conductor's podium

[@RS3DArchive]

What I get for posting at 2 A.M.

[@j.ag.3537]

What about Brailowski?

[@j.ag.3537]

My 'fiirst ' was the rubinstein reiner version...

[@leestamm3187]

As long as suggestions are being offered, I highly recommend Eugene Istomin's 1956 recording with Ormandy and TPO. Not my first, which was Rachmaninoff, but one of my small handful of favorites.

[@stephenlord9]

@@j.ag.3537not a bad to start!

[@steveluciani]

1955 Moisewitsch/Philharmonia or 1959 Richter/Warsaw Philharmonic as well.