The premiere of Rachmaninov’s Symphony no.1 in D minor was a notorious failure. It took until the 1940s for the work to gain recognition, and it contains much that is recognisable from the composer’s later works – brooding intensity, lyricism and yearning, orchestral colour and grandeur, written in a profoundly Russian manner. Unperformed during his lifetime, Prince Rostislav exudes Rachmaninov’s familiar qualities of melancholy and voluptuousness; and both works feature his pervasive use of the Dies irae theme. These acclaimed VOX recordings conducted by Leonard Slatkin were originally issued in 1977 and 1982.

Symphony no.2 and Vocalise are in the same VOX-Naxos series on VOX-NX-3013CD: ‘It is wonderfully balanced and surprises with especially rich orchestral textures. You wouldn’t say the recording is nearly 45 years old, so good does it sound in this new 192 kHz / 24 bit remastering…Slatkin conducts with youthful verve, and the orchestra’s sound is lean and colourful’ (Pizzicato).

The Elite Recordings for VOX by legendary producers Marc Aubort and Joanna Nickrenz are considered by audiophiles to be amongst the finest sounding examples of orchestral recordings.

Originally released as LPs, these recordings were first released in 1977 (QCE 31099), and later reissued in 1982 (4-VCL 9013).

‘His warmly romantic approach emphasises the music’s lush textures, fluid phrasing, and vivid orchestral colouring, while pointing up the unique stylistic qualities that differentiate the three symphonies. Slatkin heightens the drama of Symphony No. 1 by adding extra percussion to the fiery first movement, while his highlighting of the woodwinds (especially the piccolo) in the finale reveals the influence of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade on the young Rachmaninov.’ – ClassicsToday.com