Sonata No. 2 (Authentic Edition - 2 versions)

Original and Revised Editions, Complete

By Sergei Rachmaninoff

If one is intending to perform this sonata, there is no question that this is the edition to get since it includes both published versions. Being able to compare the two versions makes for a fascinating study in and of itself. But pianists who know both versions well can also...

crete their own amalgams of the two, just as Horowitz had done with the composer's direct approval. Until a new critical edition of this piece is published, go for this one.

A great work in an exquisite edition.

This Sonata takes much of the great elements of Rachmaninoff's concerto writing and transcribes it for solo piano. Like the Schumann F# Minor Sonata, it is a concerto without orchestra. The piece itself is very rich, resonating with huge chords, pensive melodies, and melodramatic climaxes as only Rachmaninoff can...

write. The melancholy and simple opening to the second movement is a particularly welcome moment in the piece after the exhausting (but beautiful) first movement. The third movement is a dizzying display of extreme virtuosity, leading up to an unbelievable climax and a succinct coda involving Rachmaninoff's trademark cascade of interlocking chords. Overall, an impressive piece of music intended only for those who are seriously prepared to tackle it.