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Sergei Rachmaninoff composed his Piano Concerto No. 1 in F♯ minor, Op. 1, in 1891, at age 17–18. Composition students were usually advised to base their efforts on a specific model for their first exercises in new forms. In Rachmaninoff's case this was the Grieg Piano Concerto, which was a favorite work of his and one with which he had been familiar from Siloti practicing it at the Rachmaninoff household during the spring and summer of 1890 for future concerts. He dedicated the work to Alexander Siloti. He revised the work thoroughly in 1917.

0:00 Mvt I Vivace – Moderato
12:18 Mvt II Andante
19:01 Mvt III Allegro vivace

Performer: Krystian Zimerman, Seiji Ozawa, Boston Symphony Orchestra, 1997 Deutsche Grammophon

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The Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, was composed between June 1900 and April 1901. The piece established his fame as a concerto composer and is one of his most enduringly popular pieces. After the disastrous 1897 premiere of his First Symphony, Rachmaninoff suffered a psychological breakdown and depression that prevented composition for three years. Rachmaninoff was introduced to the neurologist Nikolai Dahl, whom he visited daily from January to April 1900. Rachmaninoff dedicated the concerto to Dahl for successfully treating him by restoring his health and confidence in composition.

26:32 Mvt I Moderato
37:52 Mvt II Adagio sostenuto
50:03 Mvt III Allegro scherzando

Performer: Krystian Zimerman, Seiji Ozawa, Boston Symphony Orchestra, 2000 Boston (Live)

I chose to use a live performance instead of the studio recording done by Deutsche Grammophon for Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto. The first concerto recording has a nice balance between the piano and the orchestra, but the second concerto does not. I find the unbalanced quality of the piano and the orchestra in that recording to be very disturbing at times. The orchestra is as much important as the piano and should not be decreased to the level of a Chopin concerto. This live performance, in my opinion, has a better balance and energy than the studio recording. Enjoy!

(Also I just love live performances)