I wish more pianists would emphasise the bells in this section of Sonata 2 like this pianist does
I’d still like the RH more prominent there, but I agree with at least bringing out the bells in Rachmaninoff in general. ZC talked about it in that Rachmaninoff lecture video.
Yeah I think she’s really good with that, she gets to the crux of the style.
I like how the left hand is emphasised here, usually the right is too dominant and I miss the left mostly or entirely. This chick bangs it out.
I did a series once with a couple of other uploaders:
Does anyone have any particular favourite recs of the 2nd Sonata?
Personally, I find most recs are very good, but I don’t think there’s one that I think is perfect. None of my 10 favourite Russian pianists recorded it, which is a shame.
I’m fond of the various Horowitz performances.
Hearing Matsuev live at Carnegie in this was spectacular.
Joseph Villa is pretty spectacular.
I like young Pogo.
Kocsis as well.
Trpecski did very nice job.
That’s because most of them gave up after hearing Van Cliburn perform it 
Horowitz!!! His Carnegie recital is possibly the concert of the century for me.
Hmm, I always felt Horowitz was a bit loud and bangy in that period of his career. Maybe if he’d played it in the '30s or '40s I’d be more open to it. Also, I’m not a huge fan of his revisions and I prefer the Rach 1931 version overall. By the way, which concert is this? November '68 ? I’ll make sure to give it a re-listen. I’ve actually warmed to Horowitz quite a bit recently, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy it more this time around.
Villa is a good rec, but I don’t get any enjoyment out of it. It’s too much for me. Van Cliburn is a pretty great rec, and the video is really fun to watch.
What I wouldn’t give to hear Richter, Gilels, Barere, Rachmaninoff, Feinberg, etc play this sonata. I was excited when Berezovsky took it up, but it was mostly disappointing. Of living pianists, I think Lugansky is my favourite, but he’s a bit cold.
Yes, 1968-11-24. The second movement is heavenly - I normally don’t like Horowitz in works this large, but this is very much an exception.
…and listen to the audience recording for what it’s worth. Horowitz’s LP era commercial recordings are almost uniformly poorly recorded if you ask me. And mostly since they let VH have too much influence - almost throughout his career no one dared to speak up against him, partly out of respect and partly out of fear he’d get cranky and change label I suppose.
For me it’s Ivo’s 2005 recital. I sat second row right in front of him in a small hall in a German spa town, and he played the second movement like he truly knows what loss is. I’ll never forget the emotion of that and totally appreciate it.
Does anyone knows or has the live recording of Ozan Marsh? I heard it on YT and was impressed…
Do you have maybe recording of that recital? If you do, I would be very curious (and thankful) to hear it!
Kreso I put it on YT a few years ago.
In the revised version my favourite is Fiorentino, though I’d rather he have played the original.
Yes… Normally I think revisions are improvements, but this one 
Is this a commercial rec?