Rachmaninoff: Symphony No.2

“Stunning sound by Telarc.” -- Conrad H. Weisert “Eugene Ormandy remains one of my favorite maestros of all time, but his reputation and overall impression seems to pale from those of Karajan and Bernstein.” -- Shota Hanai “The introduction to the second theme by the violas is very delicate, punctuated acutely by the lower strings (cellos and basses).” -- Interplanetary Funksmanship 5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Romantic Symphony That Will Move You by David Robinson (January 6, 2003) This is the other "Rach 2". If you know Rachmaninoff through the piano works, and know that he was a brilliant performer, this symphony will astound you. It is a major romantic work, owing some heritage in the brass sounds to Tchaikovsky. Rachmaninoff seemed to have a bottomless well of haunting melodies. If you are trying to read while listening to this, you'll find yourself putting your work aside by the time you get to the Adagio (third movement). 1985 must have been "The Perfect Year" for Andre Previn and the RPO. In addition to recording the Elgar symphonies, the Previn/RPO team nailed this symphony in a crisp DDD recording. The tempi are nice and measured (without wallowing) and Previn takes the RPO from a whisper to some really kicking fortes. (The tuba and the rest of the brass sound wonderful if you have a sub-woofer). A must-have CD for any serious lover of classical music.