I came across an old thread on the Resource board about The Black Piano site and Rach recordings. Has anyone heard the Ampico recordings? The CD is called "Rachmaninoff Plays Rachmaninoff." He did "recordings" himself on a player piano--he personally approved the results. A new piano was outfitted to play the old rolls, with a surprisingly powerful and personal feeling results. --Compare the pieces to the actual, poor quality recordings. Pretty interesting...

Yes, I know those recordings and they're very good. If I may go one step further and recommend "A Window in Time" these 1998 recordings are 20-bit digital made on a Bosendorfer 290SE reproducing piano and capture not only the power and nuance of Rach's playing, which I would describe as a cross between Pollini and Horowitz. There's a technical perfection combined with profound poetry that hasn't yet been matched, IMO.

Pete

Are they the same Ampico recordings? I'll defintely look for the CD. Thanks.

While both of those CDs are good, I personally enjoy the actual recordings made way back when myself, even though the audio quality is horrible.

I just feel like I'm really hearing him. I can't explain it.
But they are amazing. I have that giant 10 CD "Rachmaninoff Plays Rachmaninoff" CD.

Also, there is a second "Window in Time" CD in which he plays the works of other composers. I do love both of those CDs very much.