Rachmaninoff, Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Opus 44?

Ashkenazy's recordings of all of the symphonies as well as the Symphonic Dances, Isle of the Dead, and The Bells, are outstanding. For both performance and the recording.

I haven't checked but I think they are available as a budget set now. His work, and Previn's, are IMHO, probably the best and I think the Ashkenazy and the LSO are better recordings and I like the performance much more. Until I got them I enjoyed Previn's, especially his #2.

Sonically the differences, to my ears, are basically that the Previn versions are a bit more lyrical (languid) and the Ashkenazy are more crisp and clear. To me its not a small difference. I like the pace, tension, color, whatever, that Askenazy brings to these already very lyrical symphonies. Unfortunately, from my POV, most performances really slow down the pace and what is initially very beautiful becomes boring on repeated hearings. FWIW, if you haven't already heard them and decided, I wouldn't be without Ashkenazy's Symphonic Dances! I indorse the set because you also get to hear his 1st Symphony which isn't too bad, and not much like #2 & 3.

Enjoy.

With Rachmaninoff, the Previn and Ashkenazy interpretations Rushton and Newbee refer to are generally felt to be the top recommendations, both of them seem to have the right feeling for the music. I have the Previn EMI recordings both on CD and vinyl and like them a lot, both interpretively and sonically. I know that Classic Records released an RCA Rachmaninoff 3 from the RCA Living Stereo series on vinyl, but I don't believe it was Previn's version. I did not like it as much as the Previn.

Shadorne, I think you misread the question, you're thinking of Piano Concerto no. 3.

There have been a lot of recordings by the top recording labels of Rach Symphony No. 2, but very few (comparatively) of No. 3, as it is not as popular a piece, even though it is an audiophile's treat with its sonics. Your experience is why I go to concerts where they play things I have not previously heard--it opens up more new worlds to discover.

By the way, I know that the Minnesota Orchestra records extensively, currently with Ondine (they have been superbly recorded over the years). Any possibility that they recorded the concert and are thinking of making it available, either as a CD or online for downloads (as many orchestras are now doing)? You might ask the orchestra about it.

This is great. I'm getting goose bumps and I haven't even set foot in the record store yet. Thanks again.

In addition to those mentioned above:
Van Cliburn version with the Symphony of the Air
conducted by Kiril Kondrashin.
It is a live performance at Carnegie Hall in 1958. While having sort of passed him off for some years as over hyped have been listening to his recordings again and there is a subtlety that only now comes through that makes them sound so much better to me, then again it could be just age.

The Previn and Askenazy are both tops, but you might also want to check out Andrew Litton's cycle with the Royal Philharmonic on Virgin.