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I'm not very familiar with most of this great composer's pieces. The only ones that I have played so far are op 23 no 5 and op 16 no 4 and I loved both of them. Can you recommend any pieces of him that have a similar character?

I’m not an expert either but play many of Rachmaninoff’s works. Are they preludes, etudes, or something else? A work he wrote named Elegie is beautiful as are many other. Elegie is often played as background music in figure skating competitions because it is so beautiful. You may recognize it. I would suggest going to YouTube, searching Rachmaninoff and listening to several of his works and deciding which ones may be at your level, enjoyable to you, and you feel are worthy of your time investment required.

Another Russian composer I absolutely love is Alexander Scriabin. He was born around the same time as Rachmaninoff but died at a much younger age.

Etudes are always a great thing to start with in my mind because they are studies written by the composer that help me understand how to study their music.

Best wishes / Steve

Lots and lots and lots.

I recommend you go to YT and listen to the complete Op.3 (Op.3/2 is the C# minor which I'm sure you have played - even Victor Borge has), Op.10, Op.16, Op.23, Op.32, Op.33 and Op.39. It won't take more than three hours, and I promise you it will be an enjoyable three hours, and you'll have found lots to occupy you for the next twelve months.

Even better, buy all the scores (or download the whole lot from IMSLP) and play through them yourself.

Op 32 no 5 is beautiful lyricism
Op 32 no 10 is indescribably beautiful and my favourite prelude
Op 32 no 13 is staggering.

Just give op 32 a listen. They’re amazing preludes.

And why not the Op. 23 Preludes as well?

Regards,

Rachmaninov's Vocalise has been transcribed for piano solo by many different people. Here is the easiest version by Sergio Fiorentino:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn2QNwnmC_I

The most commonly played one is by Richardson.

No reason, it's just op 32 is my favourite.

I've always preferred the Op 32 preludes, and the Op 39 etudes to their Op 33 siblings as well. Even though both (all) sets contain masterpieces it seemed to me that the later sets represented the composer at his moment of greatest maturity before his forced emigration turned off the creative tap.

If you have a chunk of free time, I echo the sentiments of posters above, and listen through at least one complete opus at a time of either etudes, preludes, moments musicaux, etc.

He also has two piano sonatas that are fantastic. The first is longer and lesser played, but still a masterpiece. The second sonata exists in two versions (and some pianists like Horowitz like to combine the two versions), and is quite popular for virtuoso pianists.