Russian Piano Concertos

Deutsche Gramophone has paired two of today's top performers for aruguably the most difficult piano concertos commonly performed. Both Pletnev - the pianist, and Rostropovich - the cellist, alternate constantly as conductors so it is only fitting that they bring a distinct symphonic approach to these works. The results are mixed yet always exhilarating.

It's a wonderful treat to find an album whose interest rests equally on its musical as well as historical merits. As such, the present two-disc sets of the complete Rachmaninoff concertos and Paganini Rhapsody cannot be beat. The three pianists heard here – Richter, Zak, and Oborin – represent the pinnacle of postwar Russian pianists. Richter is most likely the one still known to the majority of American listeners. But Zak (who was immensely influential not only as a performer but as a pedagogue) and Oborin (who was the first winner of the Chopin Competition) were recognized equally during their lifetimes. All three had a profound and obvious command of Rachmaninoff, and the performances heard here clearly demonstrate this fact.

These performances, dating from the 80s when the young Russian pianist was at his peak (he soon withdrew himself from the music scene), are among the best for Rachmaninoff's music.

Over the ten years that the Romantic Piano Concerto has been running one of the projects most often requested by the many fans of the series has been a recording of the complete Lyapunov works for piano and orchestra. Well finally here it is!

Tchaikovsky's best-loved works together in one box set! Symphonies 1-6, Manfred Symphony, Piano Concertos Nos. 1-3, Famous Walzes (from Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Hamlet, The Nutcracker, and Eugene Onegin) Performers: Kurt Masur, Gewandhausorchester, New York Philharmonic, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Piano.