Rachmaninoff and his Favorite Pianists, Friends, Pupils plays Sergei Rachmaninoff

00:00 Josef Hofmann - Prelude in C-sharp minor 02:06 Josef Hofmann - Prelude in G Minor Op. 23 No. 5 - Selection- (1937) * For Rachmaninoff, the greatest pianist of the 20th century was – along with himself – Josef Hofmann. Rachmaninoff dedicated his 3rd Piano Concerto to Hofmann and he wrote this concerto entirely in mind of Hofmann's pianistic character. Hofmann's alcohol problems took a toll on his piano playing, Rachmaninoff said: "Hofmann is still sky high ... the greatest pianist alive if he is sober and in form. Otherwise, it is impossible to recognize the Hofmann of old."  

04:26 Vladimir Horowitz - Piano Concerto No. 3, Mov. I Selection (1943) * Horowitz here with Rachmaninoff's friend, conductor Artur Rodziński. 12:43 Vladimir Horowitz - Prelude Op.32 No.5 in G major (1977) * Rachmaninoff's favorite after Hofmann was Horowitz. Rachmaninoff wrote his 3rd concerto for Hofmann, but Hofmann never played this piece. But Horowitz's performance of the 3rd concerto was exactly what Rachmaninoff wanted. Rachmaninoff told violinist Nathan Milstein that Horowitz played the Third Concerto better than he did. 

 15:53 Benno Moiseiwitsch - Piano Concerto No. 2, Mov. I Selection (1943) * Moiseiwitsch idolised Rachmaninoff and was a close friend of the composer. Rachmaninoff saw Moiseiwitsch as his "spiritual heir." According to some sources, Benno recorded (1937) Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in a performance that Rachmaninov considered better than his own. Video source: @Piano Masters 20:06 Walter Gieseking - Piano Concerto No. 2, Mov. II (1940) * Gieseking here with Rachmaninoff's friend, conductor Wilhelm Mengelberg. Rachmaninoff greatly appreciated Gieseking's performance.

 31:29 Simon Barere - Prelude Op.32 No.12 in G sharp minor (1947) * Rachmaninoff admired Simon Barere and called him a "pianistic genius".  

33:59 Albert Ferber - Piano Concerto No. 1, Mov I. Selection (1947) * "Whilst in Switzerland he often played to Sergei Rachmaninoff although he never regarded the latter as a teacher in the conventional sense." 

 35:30 Gina Bachauer - Prelude B Minor Op. 32 no. 10 (1972) * She had some lessons with Sergei Rachmaninoff with whom she studied intermittently during the early 1930s. Bachauer: "Rachmaninov was an amazing pianist, with superb hands, and an uncanny technique. He did not attempt to teach me, he was not really a teacher. If I asked him—and this happened very often—‘How do you do that passage?’ the answer was always the same. He sat at the piano, illustrating it, and saying: ‘Like that.’ He could not explain what he wanted me to do. He would always add: ‘Don’t try to copy what I am doing. You must try again and again until you find your own way of doing it. When you will show me what you want to do with that phrase and if you can convince me, then it is right.’ He made me realize that there are several ways to interpreting the same phrase, as long as it is convincing, as long as this comes from one’s own judgement. He was very demanding and quite strict when it came to phrasing and rhythmic vitality and he wanted, above all, a complete involvement in the music.”

 41:34 Ruth Slenczynska - Prelude Op.23 No.4 in D major (1984) * She had some lessons with Sergei Rachmaninoff. 

 45:00 Ezra Rachlin - Prelude Op. 23 No. 6 (1982) * "In 1937, at age 22, Rachlin featured Sergei Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto in an extensive tour of European capitals, and the composer, who had always shown keen interest in Rachlin's talent, prepared it with him."  

48:22 Cyril Smith - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, 18th Variation (1948) * Rachmaninoff's close friend.  

50:56 Alexander Goldenweiser - Barcarolle in G Op. 10 No. 3 (1946) * Rachmaninoff's friend from Russia, also Rachmaninoff's Second Suite, Op. 17 was dedicated to him.

 54:59 Alexander Siloti - Suite No. 2 for Two Pianos with Gounod's Faust (1930s) * Siloti is Rachmaninoff's cousin and one of his first piano teachers. In this somewhat impromptu recording, Siloti plays two themes from Gounod's song "Faust" and a melody from Rachmaninoff's Second Suite for two pianos.