Nate DeMaria wrote:

>I am looking to buy a recording of the Rachmaninoff piano concertos.
>I am looking for suggestions as to who plays them well. Thank you.

For the 2nd and the Paganini Rhapsody, Agustin Anievas can't be beat.
His are my benchmark performances of these 2 works.  For the third, the
unavailable on CD Gavrilov/Larazev is my favorite.  Critics have always
praised the Michelangeli version of the 4th.  Thibaudet is good in the 1st.

Aside from Rachmaninoff's own recordings, other excellent versions of
the 3rd are those of Lill (majestic, just a little slower than the norm),
Cliburn/Kondrashin (a classic back in '58, and still so).  I don't care
too much for Argerich's and have never really enjoyed any of the Horowitz
recordings, even though they are fantastically played.

I recently bought the new Naxos re-masterings of Rachmaninoff playing these
works.  I have had the LP's since '61, and it was a revelation to listen to
his playing again.  It was really spine-chilling to hear someone who wrote
such wonderful music playing it himself.  I had not listened to these
performances in quite some time, so it was almost like discovering them
again.  These recordings represent an experience that the world may never
know again.  There will never be another Rachmaninoff, either composer or
pianist.  How wonderful to have them fused in performances of works that
almost everyone loves.

Joel Hill
Tallahassee, FL - USA
ALKAN Web Page: http://www.nettally.com/joelhill/alkan