Search - Maurice Ravel, Sergei Rachmaninov, Ettore Gracis :: Ravel: Piano Concerto in G; Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 4

Never surpassed

Scriabinmahler | UK | 01/06/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm not a great fan of Michelangeli (I often find his style of pianism too cold and clinical particularly in solo piano repertoire), but I must admit, this EMI stereo recording of Ravel's G major Concerto is truly in the class of its own and has never been surpassed yet as far as I've known.



In the outer movements, the pianist pushes the technical boundary to the limit and the dazzling tone he produces penetrates even the thickest of orchestral texture. It is astounding, he manages to articulate every note on the score even in the boldest sweep of the most difficult passages. In comparison, the modern performances by Zimerman, Yundi Li, Thibaudet, Roge, Lortie and etc sound too tame and spineless. And the uncompromising tonal refinement and the noble beauty, in the slow movement, transcend all the existing recorded performances. Time seems to stand still in the sheer sublimity of his playing.



The performance of Rachmaninov's 4th concerto is no less impressive. Again the outer movements are played with amazing clarity and totally gripping. In the slow movement, he captures the full-blooded Romanticism and poetry of the music like no other pianists. I've come to love this concerto as much as 2nd and 3rd, thanks to this revelatory account by Michelangeli."