RACHMANINOV (THE VERY BEST OF)

The romanticism of Rachmaninov’s music was immortalised in the 1940s film classic of unfulfilled love and stoicism, Brief Encounter. He was not only the finest pianist of his day but also the last truly great late Romantic composer. The technically formidable Piano Concertos may be his best-known works, the Third immortalised in the film Shine, but this 2 CD survey goes much further into his legacy. His sumptuous and lyrical Symphonies and Symphonic Dances feature alongside the sparkling Paganini Variations and the searching solo piano works. His choral masterpiece, the deeply-felt Russian Orthodox Vespers, makes an arresting contrast.

Tracklist

Disc 1
Rachmaninov, Sergey
Glemser, Bernd (piano)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Wit, Antoni (Conductor)
1Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30: I. Allegro ma non tanto16:42
Glemser, Bernd (piano)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Wit, Antoni (Conductor)
Rachmaninov, Sergey
Bible - New Testament - Lyricist
Wimeri, Erja (contralto)
Finnish National Opera Chorus (Choir)
Söderström, Eric-Olof (Conductor)
2All-Night Vigil, Op. 37, "Vespers": Bless the Lord, O my soul06:00
Wimeri, Erja (contralto)
Finnish National Opera Chorus (Choir)
Söderström, Eric-Olof (Conductor)
Rachmaninov, Sergey
Biret, Idil (piano)
313 Preludes, Op. 32: No. 12 in G-Sharp Minor: Allegro02:19
Biret, Idil (piano)
Sondeckis, Vytautas (cello)
Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra (Orchestra)
Geringas, David (Conductor)
4Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14 (arr. for cello and orchestra)05:30
Sondeckis, Vytautas (cello)
Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra (Orchestra)
Geringas, David (Conductor)
Scherbakov, Konstantin (piano)
55 Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3: No. 1 Élégie in E-Flat Minor05:55
Scherbakov, Konstantin (piano)
Glemser, Bernd (piano)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Wit, Antoni (Conductor)
6Variation 1802:44
Glemser, Bernd (piano)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Wit, Antoni (Conductor)
7Variation 1900:34
Glemser, Bernd (piano)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Wit, Antoni (Conductor)
8Variation 2000:37
Glemser, Bernd (piano)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Wit, Antoni (Conductor)
9Variation 2100:27
Glemser, Bernd (piano)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Wit, Antoni (Conductor)
10Variation 2201:47
Glemser, Bernd (piano)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Wit, Antoni (Conductor)
11Variation 2300:50
Glemser, Bernd (piano)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Wit, Antoni (Conductor)
12Variation 2401:17
Glemser, Bernd (piano)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Wit, Antoni (Conductor)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra)
Bátiz, Enrique (Conductor)
13Symphonic Dance, Op. 45, No. 1: Non allegro11:27
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra)
Bátiz, Enrique (Conductor)
Biret, Idil (piano)
14Études-tableaux, Op. 39: No. 9 in D Major: Allegro moderato04:06
Biret, Idil (piano)
Grebanier, Michael (cello)
Guggenheim, Janet (piano)
15Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 19: III. Andante06:14
Grebanier, Michael (cello)
Guggenheim, Janet (piano)
Disc 2
Glemser, Bernd (piano)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Wit, Antoni (Conductor)
1Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18: II. Adagio sostenuto11:05
Glemser, Bernd (piano)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Wit, Antoni (Conductor)
Biret, Idil (piano)
27 Morceaux de salon, Op. 10: No. 5 Humoresque in G Major04:11
Biret, Idil (piano)
Biret, Idil (piano)
310 Preludes, Op. 23: No. 2 in B-Flat Major03:42
Biret, Idil (piano)
Rachmaninov, Sergey
Tchaikovsky, Modest - Lyricist
Mescheriakova, Marina (soprano)
Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Halász, Michael (Conductor)
4Francesca da Rimini, Op. 25: Act I: Francesca's Aria02:49
Mescheriakova, Marina (soprano)
Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Halász, Michael (Conductor)
Rachmaninov, Sergey
Biret, Idil (piano)
56 Moments musicaux, Op. 16: No. 3 Andante cantabile06:16
Biret, Idil (piano)
Biret, Idil (piano)
65 Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3: No. 2 Prelude in C-Sharp Minor04:41
Biret, Idil (piano)
Rachmaninov, Sergey
Bible - New Testament - Lyricist
Finnish National Opera Chorus (Choir)
Söderström, Eric-Olof (Conductor)
7All-Night Vigil, Op. 37, "Vespers": Troparion for the Virgin Mary (Bogoroditse Dyevo)03:23
Finnish National Opera Chorus (Choir)
Söderström, Eric-Olof (Conductor)
Rachmaninov, Sergey
Biret, Idil (piano)
810 Preludes, Op. 23: No. 5 in G Minor: Alla marcia04:02
Biret, Idil (piano)
Biret, Idil (piano)
96 Songs, Op. 38: No. 3. Margaritki (Daisies) (version for piano)02:25
Biret, Idil (piano)
Rachmaninov, Sergey
Nemirovich-Danchenko, Vladimir Ivanovich - Lyricist
Grishko, Vladimir (tenor)
Ukraine State Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Sirenko, Vladimir (Conductor)
10Aleko: The Young Gypsy's Romance - See, beneath yon firmament01:29
Grishko, Vladimir (tenor)
Ukraine State Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Sirenko, Vladimir (Conductor)
Rachmaninov, Sergey
Scherbakov, Konstantin (piano)
11Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 36 (1931 version)05:27
Scherbakov, Konstantin (piano)
Biret, Idil (piano)
12Études-tableaux, Op. 33: No. 8 (5) in G Minor: Moderato03:53
Biret, Idil (piano)
Ireland National Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Anissimov, Alexander (Conductor)
13Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 27: III. Adagio14:47
Ireland National Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Anissimov, Alexander (Conductor)

Total Playing Time: 02:14:39