Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 4, Op. 40, (Second "Original" Version, 1928)

Here's a follow-along score of an ultra-rare recording of the second, 1928 version, of Rachmaninoff's highly underrated Piano Concerto, No. 4, Op. 40
Like his 1st piano concerto, there are three versions of the magnificent work. (Yes, there are THREE version of the 1st piano concerto, not two, as many people believe.) The original 1926 manuscript version was compiled by Boosey & Hawkes in 2000 after considerable interest and was recorded three times, first by Alexander Ghindin at the piano and Vladimir Ashkenazy conducting.
This second 1928 revision is a rather truncated version of the manuscript and was the first "officially" published version. I'm sorry to say that this rendering is probably the most overlooked work of Rachmaninoff's entire oeuvre. In it, you can trace how Rachmaninoff was highly unsatisfied with the so-called superfluous sections of the manuscript version and subsequently cut out entire sections and modified a few passages.

[@fredericchopin6445]

I’m surprised that it’s so not known. it’s one of the most beautiful concerto

[@fredericchopin6445]

@Maurice Jett hmm shut up bot

[@jmelkis]

agree 100%

[@onethegogd5783]

cant agree

[@AndreyRubtsovRU]

it is not

[@alanpotter8680]

@@AndreyRubtsovRU Care to elaborate? Or just another fanboy of the critics from 60 years ago. You probably hate the 2nd sonata, as well.

[@cyw225]

I love all three versions! Each one has its own distinctive beauty! All the climax build ups are very exciting! Yet, all the lyrical melodies are very enchanting with a touch of melancholy and nostalgia!

[@jmbechtel]

I had the pleasure of seeing this performed recently by Conrad Tao! I was ten feet from the piano... I will never forget that concert! The symphony opened with Copland's El Salón México - what a dazzle to experience live!

[@jmelkis]

Well it may have been the later revision you heard. Glad you enjoyed the work in person!

[@rthailand6720]

10:17 brilliantly.

[@Shaan_Suri]

I definitely think that even though the later revisions made the piece a little more difficult to listen to due to the structural asymmetries, but overall makes the piece more succinct and compelling. I prefer the 1941 version

[@DanielKRui]

This is such a good recording! I love the richness of the bass, and the brass chords are just so awesome and beautiful. The pianist also slows down some passages but I kind of like that a lot. The overall sound quality is unbelievably good. This revision of the concerto has a really unique reworking of the 2nd theme of the 3rd movement! I think all the revisions of this concerto are worth playing and listening to (although I love the first version the most)...they reveal such a fascinating glimpse into R's mind and creativity.

[@willemmusik2010]

Allegro vivace (Alla breve): 0:01 Largo: 11:44 Allegro vivace: 19:27

[@Dylonely42]

Thank you.

[@Hervinbalfour]

I do enjoy this version but I've grown to love the original version the most out of the three.

[@alanpotter8680]

I'm on the opposite side. This is something I hear less and it's always a breath of fresh air when I hear those extra bars here and there. I wish we had a recording of the very original 2nd sonata.

[@PeterLunowPL]

thank you su much for uploading this!!!!

[@KristianWolfe]

No problem. Happy you enjoyed it! :)

[@adamklar9074]

Cudowny, niesłusznie przez wielu pomijany Koncert. Tutaj melodie są nieco krótsze, niż te do których przyzwyczaił nas Rachmaninow w poprzednich koncertach, jednak są to niezwykle piękne tematy. Wiele się dzieje w tym Koncercie. A jeszcze lepsza, moim zdaniem, jest oryginalna wersja z 1926 roku. Proszę posłuchać początkowe takty w tamtej wersji: coś niesamowitego. Dobrze że jest dostępna w druku!

[@tarikeld11]

7:17 I just noticed that the horns are playing the main melody...

[@tarikeld11]

@@imokatpianoiguess9809 Well idk if this was ironic or not, but sometines you realize obvious things in music not until many many times listening to it 😂

[@kofiLjunggren]

Very true

[@iavetoshkin]

This rendition of the 2nd mvt. has just smashed me into the chair. And then reassembled.

[@jmelkis]

There’s something worthwhile and different about each version

[@tanyaalti8515]

So beautiful!! Thank You very much!!! 💖💖 💖

[@KristianWolfe]

You're welcome!!! :)

[@romerogalvanrafael089]

7:47

[@alanpotter8680]

"Rachmaninoff was highly unsatisfied with the so-called superfluous sections of the manuscript version".... I believe the story was slightly different. Rachmaninoff received a lot of criticism for "unplayable and utter-gibberish" sections of the concerto, something critics back then also said for his sonatas. This was enough to start doubting all his future works. Too bad he didn't stick to his guts. I truly hate critics.

[@ionstrin]

Critics was one of the reasons ，but Rachmaninoff did feared about the length of the concerto before the first performance.He complained it on a letter to Medtner.

[@tarikeld11]

21:31 why did he cut this beautiful passage?

[@Walnutpaste]

If I had to guess its probably because it's a shittier version of the Dflat major theme from the second movement of the Rach 3.

[@aidandavis7657]

@@Walnutpaste how so?

[@NothingFunnyAboutTheseCarpets]

exactlyyyy! Man it's so sad. I love the last version the most, he cut out lots of unnacessary bars, but here I don't know why he did it.

[@ethanloch3802]

He actually didn't remove it in harmonical sense. He just contrasted the rhythmic elements of it, so that in the 1941 version there was more of a contrast between that section, and the small romantic piano solo in the middle. I expect he did that in order to make that more special.

[@nicholasfox966]

I would imagine he felt (and I would agree) that--although out of context it's a perfectly lovely musical passage--it doesn't mesh with the character of the concerto it happens to be in. And thus the more terse, rhythmical lyrical figure that he eventually settled on as the secondary theme in the finale. Like all great creators, he knew when he had to be ruthless and sacrifice even the loveliest of his own children for the greater artistic good.

[@tanyaalti8515]

Thank You very much!!! 💖

[@alessandroronci1871]

Bella anche questa versione ci sono passaggi orchestrali e pianistici con bei colori

[@alessandroronci1871]

Si sente un rachmaninov più maturo a livello di orchestrastrazione rispetto ai concerti precedenti

[@Dylonely42]

Thanks.

[@oqeox]

howd i not know theres a 4th one!

[@duqueadriano0081]

21:55

[@sophiathelast]

Pinged. Come watch again 😆

[@duqueadriano0081]

@@sophiathelast thanks!

[@user-fc8yv2qv1i]

for personal reference 7:22

[@sophiathelast]

Come back 🦢

[@Dylonely42]

16:29

[@sophiathelast]

Come watch again

[@Dylonely42]

@@sophiathelast ?

[@Seaman1010]

thank god he reworked the etude-tableaux op 33 no 3 theme in the 2nd movement because it sounds really messy and somewhat unfulfilling here

[@roberthanff4354]

Why does it say 1927 version on the Chandos Cover?

[@simonwassermann4305]

The playing and recording are stunning but who are the pianist, orchestra and conductor and when was the recording made?

[@douwemusic]

Your mom and your dad and your sister and your uncle and they all came together and played this

[@ethanloch3802]

@@douwemusicWell, tell that uncle who played the piccolo at the end he should consider spending more time with his kids. It's definitely not worth it.

[@douwemusic]

@@ethanloch3802I'll have you know this is a most noble piccolo solo and the whole family is rooting for him.

[@ethanloch3802]

@@douwemusic Lol but in all seriousness, was anyone else disappointed by that ending sequence? The high woodwind instruments were terribly out of tune. I was thinking of adding it to my listening playlist of different versions of this piece, but i can't with such ridiculous out of tune ending. I am quite obsessive about ß things though

[@douwemusic]

@@ethanloch3802 can you point out from which point onwards you mean?

[@etcetc5592]

Could u tell me about the 3 versions of the first pc? Where to find the 3rd one

[@DanielRobertspiano]

The 3rd one is the 1940 version, that most Pianists play. You can listen on youtube here, but it´s very similar to this version in fact.

[@DanielKRui]

You can read the scores of each on IMSLP: imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No.1%2C_Op.1_(Rachmaninoff%2C_Sergei). The 3 versions are of 1891, 1917, and 1919.

[@richardhenger7338]

Selten gespielt ! (leider). Tolle Interpretation

[@militaryandemergencyservic3286]

the opening bars are not the great original version...READ HARRISON'S BOOK