Rachmaninoff Strauss Jr.

I'm listening to a Rachmaninoff concerto and I have to say that it's one of the most amazing things I've ever heard in my life.

Working on a version of Strauss Jr.'s 'Fledermaus Waltz.' I've become a real fan of waltzes, lately. It would be nice to be able to play a simple waltz and then later on, as I improve, go back and slow it down, and add some ragtime/jazz frills to it. Right now though, I am in broken chord Hell, trying to get the timing right. <G>

Cheers,

Hi Frank! Persevere!

Recommended CD: (by me)

APR 5540 (from UK)

Johann Strauss II - Transcriptions and Paraphrases for solo piano, played by 11 great concert pianists recorded 1912-1945.

VAI/IPA 1019 (US) Johann Strauss Virtuoso Piano Transcriptions played by Nine Legendary Pianists. Recorded 1910-1970.

Note: there is some duplication between these 2 discs.

Horowitz did not record the second.

There is a great recording by William Kapell on RCA/BMG, but it is sonically dated - if you want digital sound you will have to look elsewhere.

In the RCA CD set there is also the earlier 1924 recording, but musically it is not any different from the 1929 reading.