Rachmaninoff Plays Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (1934) Stokowski

#rhapsody#Rachmaninoff Sergei Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Op. 43 Introduction: Allegro vivace (0:08) Variation 1: (Precedente) (0:16) Theme: L’istesso tempo (0:36) Variation 2: L’istesso tempo (0:57) Variation 3: L’istesso tempo ((1:16) Variation 4: Più vivo (1:41) Variation 5: Tempo precedente (2:11) Variation 6: L’istesso tempo (2:40) Variation 7: Meno mosso, a tempo moderato (3:33) Variation 8: Tempo I (4:33) Variation 9: L’istesso tempo (5:06) Variation 10: L’istesso tempo (5:37) Variation 11: Moderato (6:27) Variation 12: Tempo di minuetto (7:40) Variation 13: Allegro (8:59) Variation 14: L’istesso tempo (9:29) Variation 15: Più vivo scherzando (10:14) Variation 16: Allegretto (11:18) Variation 17: (Allegretto) (12:40) Variation 18: Andante cantabile (14:22) Variation 19: A tempo vivace (17:07) Variation 20: Un poco più vivo (17:35) Variation 21: Un poco più vivo (18:12) Variation 22: Marziale. Un poco più vivo (Alla breve) (18:38) Variation 23: L’istesso tempo (20:17) Variation 24: A tempo un poco meno mosso (21:07) Sergei Rachmaninoff, pianist Leopold Stokowski, conductor The Philadelphia Orchestra Recorded December 24, 1934 RCA Trinity Studio Camden, N.J. This is a 2023 restoration at original specs. Rachmaninoff composed most of the Rhapsody during a holiday at his summer house in Switzerland in July and August of 1934, and it received it’s premiere in November of the same year with Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra in Baltimore. The present recording was issued in 1935 to rave reviews, and is one of Rachmaninov’s most popular and enduring works. We have worked with the Rachmaninoff recordings over the years, and have done a number of restorations. So has the record industry as a whole. He played so loudly and with such dynamic power that he exceeded the abilities of the recording equipment of his day. Audio has been trying address this ever since. With each new advancement we are able to bring him closer to modern audiences. For engineering it has been like a “Dance of the Seven Vails“, and with each new improvement the vails disappear, one by one. This is the newest restoration with improved dynamic balance between soloist and a newly imaged orchestra, we are now where he is right in front of us, or very near to it. New details emerge which have not been heard before, and the piano is more integrated than ever before. We are at the noise floor of the room for most of the recording. The present restoration has been made from American RCA sources, which were transferred at original specs and are the best available. Although this was recorded with the RCA “Noiseless“ system, some wear is present on the source material, which results in base groove noise in some portions of the recording. This is part of the actual recorded sound, and has been left untouched for the sake of sonic accuracy. Rachmaninoff actually hummed when he played in some of his recordings. This one has the most humming of any of them we know of. If we listen closely we can hear him throughout many of the variations. In 1934 it was not considered a problem because of the record surfaces of the time. Now, it is a delight for listeners to hear him. Transfer and digital mastering (1993): RCA New York Full acoustic and sonic restoration (2023): Paul Howard - The Yucaipa Studio In order for our posts to remain commercial-free, we do not monetize on this channel. If you wish to offer support for this kind of music and sound, you may make a donation to: