Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor.Geoffrey Norris. "Rachmaninoff, Serge." In Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online Retrieved 11 November 2009. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music.

Recordings

Phonograph Many of Rachmaninoff's recordings are acknowledged classics. Rachmaninoff first recorded in 1919, (based on Martyn 1990, pp. 453–497). Retrieved 23 September 2016. for Edison Records' unusual "Diamond Discs", as they claimed the best audio fidelity in recording the piano at the time. Thomas Edison, who was musically unsophisticated and quite deaf, did not care for Rachmaninoff's playing and referred to him as a "pounder" at their initial meeting. However, the staff at Edison's New York recording studio (led by company pianist Robert Gayler) asked Edison to reconsider his dismissive position, resulting in a limited contract for ten released sides. The Edison company took some care with its piano recordings but used an unusual make, the Lauter, made in Newark; Rachmaninoff recorded on a Lauter concert grand, one of the few the company made. Rachmaninoff believed his own performances to be variable in quality and requested that he be allowed to approve any recordings for commercial release. Edison agreed but still issued multiple takes, a very unusual practice which was routine at Edison, where strict company policy demanded three good takes of each selection to mitigate the effects of production wear and provide redundancy in case of damage to a metal master; in practice, this meant to the staff that takes passed for issue were interchangeable, but it was also very wearing on artists who often had to record an item several times over to produce each of those three problem-free takes. Edison's staff and Rachmaninoff were pleased with the released discs and wanted to record more, but Thomas Edison refused to engage the pianist for further work, saying the ten sides were sufficient for label prestige purposes.

Rachmaninoff signed a contract with the Victor Talking Machine Company (later RCA Victor) in 1920. The company was pleased to comply with Rachmaninoff's restrictions, and proudly advertised him as one of their prominent recording artists. His recordings for Victor continued until 1942, when the American Federation of Musicians imposed a recording ban on their members.

Particularly renowned are his renditions of Schumann's Carnaval and Chopin's Funeral March Sonata, along with many shorter pieces. He recorded all four of his piano concertos with the Philadelphia Orchestra, including two versions of the second concerto with Leopold Stokowski conducting (an acoustical recording in 1924 and an electrical remake in 1929), and the world premiere recording of the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, soon after the first performance (1934) with the Philadelphians under Stokowski. The first, third, and fourth concertos were recorded with Eugene Ormandy in 1939-41. Rachmaninoff also made three recordings conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra in his own Third Symphony, his symphonic poem Isle of the Dead, and his orchestration of Vocalise. All of these recordings were reissued in a 10-CD set "Sergei Rachmaninoff The Complete Recordings" in RCA Victor Gold Seal 09026-61265-2, along with subsequent reissues.

This listing below includes only recordings in which Rachmaninoff himself was a participant, as either pianist or conductor. Recordings of Rachmaninoff’s music made by other performers are not included.

ComposerTitle of Work, other performersRecording date(s)Record labelJohann Sebastian BachSarabande, from Klavier Partita No. 4 in D major, BWV 828December 16, 1925RCA Johann Sebastian BachPrelude, Gavotte, and Gigue, from Violin Partita No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006February 26 & 27, 1942RCALudwig van BeethovenViolin Sonata No. 8 in G major, Op. 30, No. 3 Fritz Kreisler, violinMarch 22, 1928RCALudwig van Beethoven32 Variations in C minor, WoO. 80April 13 & May 14, 1925RCALudwig van BeethovenTurkish March, from The Ruins of Athens, Op. 113December 14, 1925RCAGeorges BizetMinuet, from L'arlésienne Suite, No. 1February 24, 1922RCAAlexander BorodinScherzo in A-flat majorDecember 23, 1935RCAFrédéric ChopinBallade in A-flat major, Op. 47April 13, 1925RCAFrédéric ChopinMazurka in C-sharp minor, Op. 63, No. 3December 27, 1923RCAFrédéric ChopinMazurka in A minor, Op. 68, No. 2December 23, 1935RCAFrédéric ChopinNocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9, No. 2April 5, 1927RCAFrédéric ChopinNocturne in F-sharp major, Op. 15, No. 2December 27, 1923RCAFrédéric Chopin"Return Home", and "The Maiden's Wish", from Polish SongsFebruary 27, 1942RCAFrédéric ChopinScherzo in C-sharp minor, Op. 39March 28, 1924RCAFrédéric ChopinSonata in B-flat minor, Op. 35February 18, 1930RCAFrédéric ChopinWaltz in E-flat major, Op. 18 "Grand Valse Brillante"January 21, 1921RCAFrédéric ChopinWaltz in F major, Op. 34, No. 3 "Valse Brillante"November 4, 1920RCAFrédéric ChopinWaltz in A-flat major, Op. 42April 18, 1919EdisonFrédéric ChopinWaltz in D-flat major, Op. 64, No. 1 "Minute"April 2, 1921RCAFrédéric ChopinWaltz in D-flat major, Op. 64, No. 1 "Minute"April 5, 1923RCAFrédéric ChopinWaltz in C-sharp minor, Op. 64, No. 2April 5, 1927RCAFrédéric ChopinWaltz in A-flat major, Op. 64, No. 3 April 19, 1919EdisonFrédéric ChopinWaltz in A-flat major, Op. 64, No. 3 April 5, 1927RCAFrédéric ChopinWaltz in B minor, Op. 69, No. 2October 24, 1923RCAFrédéric ChopinWaltz in G-flat major, Op. 70, No. 1April 2, 1921RCAFrédéric ChopinWaltz in E minor, Op. posthFebruary 18, 1930RCALouis-Claude Daquin"Le coucou"October 21, 1920RCAClaude Debussy"Dr. Gradus ad Parnassum", and "Golliwog's Cakewalk", from Children's CornerJanuary 21, 1921RCAErnst von DohnányiEtude in F major, Op. 28, No. 2October 25, 1921RCAChristoph Willibald GluckMelodie, from Orfeo ed EuridiceMay 14, 1925RCAEdvard GriegWaltz, and Elfin Dance, from Lyric Pieces, Op. 12October 12, 1921RCAEdvard GriegViolin Sonata in C minor, Op. 45 Fritz Kreisler, violinSeptember 14 & 15, 1928RCAGeorge Frideric HandelAir & Variations ("The Harmonious Blacksmith")January 3, 1936RCAAdolf Henselt"Si oiseau j'étais" (Etude in F-sharp major, Op. 2, No. 6)December 27, 1923RCAFritz Kreisler"Liebesfreud" (arr. Rachmaninoff)December 29, 1925RCAFritz Kreisler"Liebesfreud" (arr. Rachmaninoff)February 26, 1942RCAFritz Kreisler"Liebeslied" (arr. Rachmaninoff)October 25, 1921RCAFranz Liszt"Gnomenreigen" (Concert Etude No. 2)December 16, 1925RCAFranz LisztHungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (cadenza: Rachmaninoff)April 22, 1919EdisonFranz LisztPolonaise No. 2 in E majorApril 13, 1925RCAFelix MendelssohnEtude in F major, Op. 104b, No. 2April 5, 1927RCAFelix MendelssohnEtude in A minor, Op. 104b, No. 3April 5, 1927RCAFelix Mendelssohn"Spinning Song", from Songs Without Words, Op. 67November 4, 1920RCAFelix Mendelssohn"Spinning Song", from Songs Without Words, Op. 67April 25, 1928RCAFelix MendelssohnScherzo, from A Midsummer Night's Dream (arr. Rachmaninoff)December 23, 1935RCAMoritz Moszkowski"La jongleuse", Op. 52, No. 4March 6, 1923RCAWolfgang Amadeus MozartTheme and Variations, from Sonata in A major, K. 331April 18, 1919EdisonWolfgang Amadeus MozartRondo alla turca, from Sonata in A major, K. 331May 14, 1925RCAModest MussorgskyHopak, from The Fair at Sorochyntsi (arr. Rachmaninoff)April 13, 1925RCAIgnacy Jan PaderewskiMinuet in G major, Op. 14, No. 1April 5, 1927RCASergei RachmaninoffBarcarolle in G minor, Op. 10, No. 3April 23, 1919EdisonSergei RachmaninoffPiano Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp minor, Op. 1 Philadelphia Orchestra Eugene Ormandy, conductorDecember 4, 1939 & February 24, 1940RCASergei RachmaninoffPiano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 Philadelphia Orchestra Leopold Stokowski, conductorJanuary 3 & December 22, 1924RCASergei RachmaninoffPiano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 Philadelphia Orchestra Leopold Stokowski, conductorApril 10 & 13, 1929RCASergei RachmaninoffPiano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 Philadelphia Orchestra Eugene Ormandy, conductorDecember 4, 1939 & February 24, 1940RCASergei RachmaninoffPiano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Op. 40 Philadelphia Orchestra Eugene Ormandy, conductorDecember 20, 1941RCASergei RachmaninoffEtude-tableau in C major, Op. 33, No. 2March 18, 1940RCASergei RachmaninoffEtude-tableau in E-flat major, Op. 33, No. 7March 18, 1940RCASergei RachmaninoffEtude-tableau in A minor, Op. 39, No. 6December 16, 1925RCASergei RachmaninoffHumoresque in G major, Op. 10, No. 5 (revised version)April 9, 1940RCASergei RachmaninoffIsle of the Dead, Op. 29 The Philadelphia OrchestraApril 2, 1929RCASergei RachmaninoffMelodie in E major, Op. 3, No. 3 (revised version)April 9, 1940RCASergei RachmaninoffMoment Musical in E-flat minor, Op. 16, No. 2March 18, 1940RCASergei Rachmaninoff"Oriental Sketch"March 18, 1940RCASergei RachmaninoffPolichinelle in F-sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 4March 6, 1923RCASergei Rachmaninoff"Polka de W.R."April 23, 1919EdisonSergei Rachmaninoff"Polka de W.R."October 12, 1921RCASergei Rachmaninoff"Polka de W.R."April 4, 1928RCASergei Rachmaninoff"Polka italienne" Natalie Rachmaninoff, second piano1938Private recordingSergei RachmaninoffPrelude in C-sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 2April 23, 1919EdisonSergei RachmaninoffPrelude in C-sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 2October 14, 1921RCASergei RachmaninoffPrelude in C-sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 2April 4, 1928RCASergei RachmaninoffPrelude in G minor, Op. 23, No. 5May 17, 1920RCASergei RachmaninoffPrelude in G-flat major, Op. 23, No. 10March 18, 1940RCASergei RachmaninoffPrelude in E major, Op. 32, No. 3March 18, 1940RCASergei RachmaninoffPrelude in G major, Op. 32, No. 5May 3, 1920RCASergei RachmaninoffPrelude in F minor, Op. 32, No. 6March 18, 1940RCASergei RachmaninoffPrelude in F major, Op. 32, No. 7March 18, 1940RCASergei RachmaninoffPrelude in G-sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12January 21, 1921RCASergei RachmaninoffRhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43 Philadelphia Orchestra Leopold Stokowski, conductorDecember 24, 1934RCASergei RachmaninoffSerenade in B-flat, Op. 3, No. 5 (1892 version)November 4, 1922RCASergei RachmaninoffSerenade in B-flat, Op. 3, No. 5 (1892 version)January 3, 1936RCASergei Rachmaninoff"Daisies", Op. 38, No. 3March 18, 1940RCASergei Rachmaninoff"Lilacs", Op. 21, No. 5December 27, 1923RCASergei Rachmaninoff"Lilacs", Op. 21, No. 5February 26, 1942RCASergei Rachmaninoff"Vocalise", Op. 34, No. 14 Philadelphia OrchestraApril 20, 1929RCASergei RachmaninoffSymphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 44 Philadelphia OrchestraDecember 11, 1939RCANikolai Rimsky-Korsakov"Flight of the Bumblebee", from Tsar Sultan (arr. Rachmaninoff)April 16, 1929RCACamille Saint-Saëns"The Swan", from The Carnival of the Animals (arr. Siloti)December 30, 1924RCADomenico ScarlattiPastorale (after Sonata in D minor, L. 413) (arr. Karl Tausig)April 19, 1919EdisonFranz SchubertImpromptu in A-flat major, D. 899, No. 4December 29, 1925RCAFranz SchubertViolin Sonata in A major, D. 574