An extraordinary piece of history...

The great composer-pianist made two recordings of this work in his lifetime and it is the second that has

always received the most attention, given the great leaps in recording technology that happened in a few short years between 1924 and 1929.

The limitations of tape technology meant recording all of the first movement proved difficult initially as the orchestra and pianist huddled around one of those early recording bells.

Nonetheless this is a fascinating document of history and best of all, the early recording was done on a Mason & Hamlin BB.

Click on the link below to learn more about this early recording and to hear for yourself the sound of a golden era Mason & Hamlin, the technique and style of one of the greats of the instrument at the height of his powers and how the composer himself interpreted this extraordinary piece.

http://www.stokowski.org/1924_Stokowski_Rachmaninoff_Acoustics.htm