Search - Sergey Rachmaninov, Lorin Maazel, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra :: Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3

Among the best Rach 3's ever recorded

Sugi Sorensen | La Canada, CA USA | 07/27/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the most underrated recording of the Rach 3 ever put to disc, tape, record, or any other recording device. Along w/ his incomparable recording of Prokofiev's Piano Cto No 2, Guttierez shows himself one of today's supreme virtuosos. I own 16 other recordings of the Rach 3, including the famous Horowitz/Reiner 1951 and Argerich/Chailly 1982, both of which get more acclaim, and Gutierrez is superior on almost every level."

A great disc

Trevor Gillespie | San Jose, California United States | 08/22/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The pairing of Rachmaninov's 2nd and 3rd Piano concertos is quite excellent. Although, the 3rd is not quite as fiery as Argerich's performance, it is still done exceptionally well. Maazel leads the Pittsburgh Orchestra beautifully. They compliment the pianist in a lush and never overbearing way. Listening to the opening notes of the Second Piano Concerto, the listener hears the beautiful recording capturing the piano in its full glory but not miked to closely. As the orchestra comes in, you still hear fully what the piano is doing, something often covered up by the orchestra in many other recordings. Gutierrez is in full control of these pieces. He adds wonderful color, phrasing, and rubato that make both concertos stand apart from a throng of recordings. Although this CD is often overlooked in guides to classical music, such as Penguin, please know that this CD is one to own, especially if you're a fan of the 2nd and 3rd piano concertos. As with all Telarc recordings, something must be said of the actual sound. Spectacular! I am a firm fan of the Telarc sound. It captures the full orchestra and has a more true sound in my opinion than many of the other recording labels, and this recording is great evidence of what the Telarc engineers aim to achieve with their work."

Highly Accomplished!

Robert J. Sullivan Jr. | Chicago, IL USA | 11/14/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When a record outfit with the resources of Telarc takes on a mainstay such as the "Rach Three," we practically expect the outcome to be the new digital reference for that work. Their track record, as far as sound quality, is that good. They don't skimp on artistic talent either: Horacio Gutiérrez has been recording at a rapid pace of late, commensurate with his talent I think. As technique and elegance go, he's the Itzhak Perlman of the piano, working miracles with a minimum of apparent effort. Maazel was the conducting prodigy, who at fifteen led teenager Byron Janis on a romp through the Rachmaninoff Second. Today he's considered "temperamental."In music that is all about temperament, Maazel and Gutiérrez choose to play it safe. Granted, some of the tempos they take would have lesser pianists bleeding over the keys, but Gutiérrez always has it well in hand - whether it's the power chords of the Alla breve are hammered out with ease. The cadenza (he plays the abridged version) thunders politely. There was a potential in this recording for complete mayhem, the kind of emotional volatility that makes Sviatoslav Richter's Second and Earl Wild's Third spine-tingling. Not that I believe that a great performance must strike fear in the listener, but there should be a moment when the audience is transported unexpectedly, a Busonian moment when the music "dematerializes" and is all around us.I have some minor quibbles. In the Third Concerto, the developmental material of the first movement, when it does not concern the piano, is pushed along at a faster tempo. Does Maazel find these transitions academic? Immediately preceding the cadenza, he gives the eerie falling motif in the strings short shrift by waving the players on through. Gutiérrez doesn't get the critical silence he needs before the cadenza erupts.Though it fell short of conjuring ecstatic moments for me, this record sustains a high level of involvement. I don't doubt many pundits would prefer it over the versions I've mentioned, because it doesn't take those risks: no jabbing accents, no bass notes pounded like depth charges, but plenty of exquisite virtuosity."