Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No 3; Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No 3

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
A fascinating release that views Prokofiev through Romantic lenses and Rachmaninov through modernist ones, to the benefit of both works. The Rachmaninov Third is a virtuoso warhorse which Pletnev sails through with aplomb. His dazzling technique is everywhere in evidence, and in stripping the piece of the sentimental overlay so often imposed upon it, he makes it a tougher, tighter work. In the go-for-broke last movement, Pletnev plays with astounding virtuosity and in the concertos's more lyrical moments he lavishes sufficient poetry and full-bodied tone to bring out those aspects as well. He plays the longer and more difficult of Rachmaninov's first movement cadenzas. Rostropovitch and the crack Russian orchestra provided a bed of full-blooded Romanticism as the framework for Pletnev's explorations, and they bring a similar approach to the Prokofiev. There, Pletnev's articulation at fast speeds is nothing short of amazing, as is the full-bodied tone he brings to a work that’s often played with a shallow, leaner tone. Here again, the lyrical parts come off as well as the more overtly virtuosic ones. There are excellent performances of both works available from artists like Argerich, Ashkenazy, and others, but this one ranks among the best. --Dan Davis

Tracks:

RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto #2, Adagio
VERDI Preludio
PAGANINI "Introduzione e tema con variazioni"
BRAHMS Sonata for two pianos, Andante
MOZART Adagio in E Major
BEETHOVEN "Pathetique" Sonata, Adagio
YSAYE Sonate #2, "Malinconia"
BACH Prelude #22, Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I
VERDI "Quando le sere al placido" (When the Evening Becomes Peaceful)
BACH Orchestral Suite #2
SIBELIUS The Swan of Tuonela
PROKOFIEV Romeo and Juliet
MASSENET Meditation from "Tha
RACHMANINOFF Prelude

Tracks:

TRADITIONAL Catalonian Folk Song
CHOPIN Piano Concerto #1, Larghetto
PUCCINI "Crisantemi" (Chrysanthemums)
SCHUMANN "Traumerei" (Dreaming)
TCHAIKOVSKY Swan Lake (excerpt)
K. YAMADA ''Chugoku-Chiho No Komoriuta" Lullaby
DEBUSSY "En Bateau" (By Boat)
BEETHOVEN Symphony #6 "Pastoral", Andante
MENDELSSOHN Songs Without Words
WEBER Introduction, theme and variations
GRANADOS "Goyescas" (Sketches on the works of Goya)
TCHAIKOVSKY Nocturne in F
HOLST The Planets, "Neptune"

Customer Reviews:

Better than most.......2007-02-08

This is a good mixture of elevator music, and some soft relaxing melodies.

Wonderful Music.......2007-01-18

Wonderful music for your listening pleasure. Very relaxing and soothing. Nothing beats classical music.

Most Romantic Classical Music in the Universe

Average customer rating:

very romantic to make love by
Great Mood Music

Most Romantic Classical Music in the Universe
Gabriel Faure , Felix Mendelssohn , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Fryderyk Chopin , Franz Liszt , Erik Satie , Robert Schumann , Antonin Dvorak , Gustav Mahler , Sergey Rachmaninov , Leos Janacek , Cesar Franck , George Frideric Handel , Jules Massenet , Sergey Prokofiev , Catalan Traditional , and Various Artists
Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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More of the Most Romantic Classical Music in the Universe
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
More Of The Most Relaxing Classical Music In The Universe
The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II

ASIN: B00011V890
Release Date: 2004-01-13

Tracks:

BIZET Aragonaise from Carmen
DEBUSSY Clair de Lune
SAINT-SAS The Swan
BEETHOVEN Moonlight Sonata, Adagio
TARREGA Recuerdos
FAURE Aprun rrie
,MENDELSSOHN Song without Words Op. 19 #6
TCHAIKOVSKY Serenade for Strings, Elegia, Larghetto elegaico
CHOPIN Ballade No. 1
LISZT Liebestraume
SATIE Gymnopedies No. 1
SCHUMANN Abendlied
MENDELSSOHN Song without Words Op. 62 #5
DVORAK Serenade for Strings, Larghetto
BEETHOVEN Fse

Tracks:

MAHLER Symphony No. 5, Adagietto
RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 2, Adagio
JANACEK Idyll for Strings, Adagio
FRANCK Violin Sonata, Recitativo-Fantasia
HANDEL Largo from Xerxes
CHOPIN Etude in E Major
TCHAIKOVSKY Swan Lake (excerpt)
MASSENET Meditation from "Tha
PROKOFIEV Romeo & Juliet
TRADITIONAL Nocturne in F
TCHAIKOVSKY Nocturne in F
RACHMANINOFF Prelude

Customer Reviews:

very romantic to make love by.......2007-06-11

The music is seductive and promotes an atmosphere of feeling uninhibited when you are making love.

Great Mood Music.......2006-08-11

This is a great CD to compliment any romantic situation. A meal by candle light, champagne on the veranda, or a Jacuzzi for two! Very soothing.

Average customer rating:

perfect selection for commencement/ graduation
Great Starting Point for Classical Music Novices
**An Exquisite Album**
Samples
Great Sampler!

Simply the Best Classical Anthems

Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Thunderous Classics
Thunder & Lightning
25 Thunderous Classics
Time Life Presents: Classical Thunder
Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

ASIN: B00004SUVI
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Tracks:

Requiem: Dies Irae
Carmina Burana: O Fortuna
The Planets: Mars
The Ride Of The Valkyries
Chorus Of The Hebrew Slaves
Fanfare For The Common Man
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1
Aida: Grand March
Summer - Four Seasons: Presto
Te Deum: Prelude
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra
Toccata And Fugue In D Minor
Symphony No. 5: First Movement
Spartacus: Adagio
Sabre Dance
Symphony No. 40: First Movement
Zadok The Priest
Turandot: Nessun Dorma

Tracks:

Also Sprach Zarathoustra
Romeo And Juliet: Dance Of The Knights
Requiem: Dies Irae
1812 Overture
Piano Concerto
Spring - Four Seasons: Allegro
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
The Royal Fireworks: La Ruissance From Music
Flight Of The Bumble Bee
Symphonie Fantastique: March To The Scaffold
Carmen: Overture
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Jerusalem
The Planets: Jupiter
Symphony No 9, 'Ode To Joy'
Swan Lake: Scene
Enigma Variations: Nimrod
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini [Variation 18]
Pictures At An Exibitions: Promenade
Symphony For Organ No 3: Finale, Symphony For Organ No 3

Customer Reviews:

perfect selection for commencement/ graduation.......2007-06-11

We were concerned after reading some other reviews that this version of Pomp and Circumstance wouldn't be the correct movement or the full length version. This selection has the song for graduation AND the extended length, so it gives plenty of time for processionals. If this is what you need, this is the CD to get.

Great Starting Point for Classical Music Novices.......2004-08-13

"Simply the Best Classicial Anthems" is exactly what the title indicates. This is a collection of what the CD says are "36 of the most powerful classics on Earth". My review of this CD comes from someone who is a Classical Music Novice. I'm familiar with some of the composers, musical styles, musical periods, and some of the terminology that is key to understanding Classical Music. By no means am I an expert. I have basically popped in this two CD collection into my player and have enjoyed the sounds it produces. If you are in the same category as I am or maybe just wanting to be introduced to Classical Music - this is going to be a very good CD to have in your collection. For the more seasoned Classical Music fan, this could be either enjoyable or overkill.

The CD contains 36 songs composed by the legends of Classical Music Composers from the past. The bulk of the works come from Composers in the the 19th and 20th century, but there are works from the Romantic and Classical eras of the late 18th and early 19th century (such as Beethoven and Mozart). In general you will find most of the major names of Composers you would expect to find - names such as Tchiakovsky, Handel, Verdi, Strauss, Elgar, and Bach are all there. The only major composer who I would have expected to see on this CD that I don't see is Frederic Chopin. The composers of the late 20th century are not included on this collection - so you won't see Leonard Bernstein or John Williams on this set. While these Composers are excellent, I do think style of the tracks on this collection pre-date their style.

The recordings themselves are done by the great Orchestras around the world. For the most part, European Orchestras were used to deliver the tracks. There are a few exceptions: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra delivers "The Ride of the Valkyries"; The Toronto Symphony Orchestra delivers "Dance of the Knights"; and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra delivers Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". Some of the European Orchestras that are well known include: BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra, Choeur Philhamonique de Strasbourg, and more. Also included are performances by well known names in the Classical space such as Marie-Claire Alain (Bach's "Toccate and Fogue in D Minor" and Saint-Saens' "Symphony for Organ No 3"), Piero Toso (Vivaldi's "Allegro From Spring - Four Seasons"), and Placido Domingo appears on Puccini's "Nessun Dorma".

The 2 Disc collection contains a total of over 2 hours and 6 minutes of music. The selections that are included in the set will sound very familiar to you when you play them. You probably have both heard and seen the names of tracks such as: Oref's "O Fortuna"; Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man"; Beethoven's "First Movement from Symphony Number 5" and "Ode To Joy"; Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance", and Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". Many of the other tracks will also sound familiar, but maybe not so much by name - such as Wagner's "The Ride of the Valkyries", Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathoustra"; Grieg's "Piano Concerto", and "Dies Irae" (versions included by Mozart and Verdi - you can compare the two and judge for yourself). As for the Discs themselves, I think most of the casual fans will like the selections on Disc Two better, but Disc One is still very good. On a sidebar, the Israel Philharmonic's version of "1812 Overture" is by far the best you will hear - particularly at the end, the booming drums create almost a 3 dimensional vision of fireworks being launched into the air.

There one big negative on this collection is some of the recording quality. The clarity of the recording is there, but some of the recording levels leave a lot to be desired. On some of the softer parts, it is barely audible without significantly turning up your volume. This is very evident on "O Fortuna" where you will hear almost dead silence during from the 30 second to 1:30 mark of the track unless you crank your volume up. Same with the first few seconds of Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathoustra" and Tchiakovsky's "1812 Overture". When the volume is cranked up you will hear them - but then the other sections will be way too loud. I'm surprised with modern technology that this couldn't be addressed better.

The liner notes are pretty thin. You do get the Composers, Performers/Orchestras, and recording dates. There isn't any more details than that and you won't learn anymore insight on the tracks than this information. Despite some of the shortcomings of the liner notes and recording volume, I still think this is an excellent place to start and do recommend this CD if you are a novice to Classical Music and are looking for a great place to start listening to what the Classics have to offer.

**An Exquisite Album**.......2004-02-21

Simply The Best Classical Anthems

Simply The Best Classical Anthems is a compilation album of `36 of the most powerful Anthems on Earth'. But, it is also said to be something else. It is said to be a gateway. A gateway to another world. A world where our imagination can run free without being shackled down by any borders or boundaries or rules or limits. A world that we have all seen or perhaps more accurately have all heard of but for many of us a world that we have never dared to enter. Never dared to enter because of fear. The fear of being ostracised and shunned by our community.

THE MYTH
`Classical Music!', I can hear some of you cry. `That isn't another world. That's just music for the upperclass, the high-brow, and the pompous.' Surprisingly, I too felt this way for a long time until I accepted the invitation made to me by Simply The Best Classical Anthems. I always felt that Classical Music was nice to listen to as background music for a Levis ad or a Car ad but I would consider people strange if they chose to hear it on its own. However, after having listened to this album I realised how wrong I was in my assumptions.

THE TRUTH
Music as with all forms of amusement helps to take you away from where you are now. It helps to relax you when you are stressed with anger; it helps to give you strength when you are vulnerable; it helps to keep your spirits up when you have faced tragedy or loss. It helps. And, for me the type of music that best conjures up the most passionate emotions (love, hate, courage and anger) at our most testing times is Classical Music.
How? I don't know.
Why? I don't know.
I can only promise you that in my experience it does.

THE CHEST
The album, in visual terms, is very difficult to overlook amongst the plethora of records that may surround it. This is because the album has a very distinct purple sleeve cover. Not any kind of purple mind you but the Cadbury's kind of purple. The kind of purple that carries with it an invitation. An invitation that if accepted promises you a treasure inside.
And since, I have always enjoyed the treasure within the purple Cadbury's Dairy Milk wrapper, I asked myself why would an album carrying the same invitation promise to be anything different? Thus, I parted with my tuppence worth and went back home to open this purple chest of promised treasures.

THE PROMISED TREASURE
As you may have guessed, the contents of the album are somewhat different to the contents of a Cadbury's bar. When I opened the album, I was presented with two compact discs. At first glance, there did not seem to be anything special about them. They were just your average, everyday, run of the mill compact discs. To tell you the truth, I was a bit disappointed because I suppose I had hoped for something more.
However, looks can be deceptive. (Afterall, a Cadbury's Dairy Milk does not seem very appetising until you taste it!) And, also come November each year, I am always bemused and surprised at how the shabby contents of a cardboard box can both light up the sky and light up the faces of the neighbourhood. Thus, I pushed aside my assumptions and I ignited the discs (not literally of course, I just pressed the play button on the CD player). And, I let the fireworks begin.

THE KEY
From the very beginning, you will feel like you have unlocked the doorway to something special. And, after a full two hours of listening to both discs, you will feel like you have been taken out of this world and transported to another. Welcome to the world of Classical Music.

GUIDANCE
In the beginning, continue to listen to both discs in one go (i.e. one after the other). After a while, you will know which tracks you enjoy listening to the most. For those tracks you enjoyed the most make a promise to yourself that you will listen to the whole of the piece from which that track came from.
Good Luck on your quest if you choose to accept it.
Ride amongst the Valkyries, listen to the Flight of the Bumblebees, and use The Planets to keep you on the path.

I am not a good reviewer because as with all of my reviews I refuse to comment too much about what is inside the product but rather more about what effect the product has had on me. (Me, me, me. Vain & Egotistic, I know, so my friends and family keep telling me). But, I just want to cause a raucous about the product, enough not to spoil but enough of a raucous to let you experience it for yourself.

So my final words are:
Simply The Best Classical Anthems is an invitation. An invitation to the world of classical music. A world where you can begin a never-ending quest of curiosity. A curiosity that will always be rewarded with fulfilment.

Do you accept such an invitation?

Hope you found this review helpful.

Samples.......2003-11-23

The samples are too short and the quality leaves a lot to be desired. Having said that the choices are wonderful and the price is great. If you're looking for a overview of the best of classical music then this is for you. However if it's quality you're looking for then spent the extra money and look at other choices.

Great Sampler!.......2002-03-20

This is a good sampler, since it covers what you would want in a classical music CD. Looking at the tracks, it has the classic hits, such as "Ride of the Valkyries," "Toccata and Fugue," "Fanfare for the Common Man," "'Jupiter' from `The Planets,'" "Eine Klein Nachtmusik," and "Hallelujah Chorus."

There are also some new pieces that I have fallen in love with, such as "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra," "'Promenade' from Pictures at an Exhibition." The compilers did an interesting double take by including both Verdi's and Mozart's "Dies Ire." I'm not sure which is better.

This music is good for the brain and good for the soul. There is a power and passion that the blaring and glaring music that makes up most of the FM band. I'm reminded of the religious man who said that there is no music in hell. Probably because they wouldn't appreciate it there.

Tracks:

Allegro Ma Non Tanto
Intermezzo: Adagio
Finale: Alla Breve
Andante
Theme: Andantino; Five Variations
Allegro Ma Non Troppo

Customer Reviews:

Classic performance, but...........2007-05-09

I ordered this used through Amazon. It never showed up (and was never charged, either). This, however, is an anomaly in my experience with the Amazon partners used department.

I ordered it for the Rach 3 (as they called it in "Shine"). I learned that piece from this recording when it was released on LP back in 1959 or so. For me it is still the preferred recording. There is a lot of enthusiasm for the Argerich (which I own), but hers is a distorted romp in my opinion. In places it is so fast that Chailly can't keep the orchestra together with her and the ensemble is horrible.

Cliburn/Kondrashin is a classy pair. I wanted this version for the quality of the SACD recording. I have had wonderful experience with these SACD reprocessings of the classic Living Stereo recordings. This recording, however, was always a bit of a problem from a technical standpoint because it was recorded live and always seemed muted in the string department.

But of the six versions I have owned, this is still the one I prefer.

PS: I did not live in Texas at the time and this is not chauvinism for a native son.

Triumph and Tragedy.......2007-04-24

I do not own this recording on cd and although I own the recording of the Rachmaninoff piano concerto no. 3 on vinyl, a 70's reissue on RCA's .5 half speed remaster series, I do not own a copy the recording of the Prokofiev no.3, therefore my comments wil be limited to the Rachmaninoff.
I have a few thoughts which I believe will provide some important perspective on the quality of the performance and recording. Upon obtaining the consent of Van Cliburn to allow their equipment to be brought into Carnegie Hall and a recording to be made, RCA's engineers had less than two days to set up and make all the preparations to record the concert. Van Cliburn had just returned to the U.S. two days prior to the concert after winning the first international Tchaikovsky competition in the Soviet Union and the subsequent hectic whirlwind and probably exhausting tour through that nation. He was probably not thoroughly rested at the concert. He and the conductor Kiril Kondrashin most definitely did not have the amount of rehersal time with the orchestra they would ideally have wanted.
As a result there are a number of problems with this record, mainly with the sound quality which is substandard even for 1958. In fact I believe 90% of the perceived problems can be blamed on the sound engineering. Another 5 or 6% can be blamed on the very occasional technical flaws in Mr. Cliburns playing. The remaing 4 or 5% to my ears sound like problems with the piano itself.
Given the above facts, to put it in slang terms, this recording, especially the performance itself, is a freaking miracle. It is simply amazing. As I said Van Cliburn's technical errors are few and far between and the vast majority of the apparent harshness in the piano in some passages is obviously soundwave distortion. I perceive only two places where there are significant problems with his playing which are toward the end of the long first movement cadenza where his timing and touch seem to break down momentarliy from which he quickly recovers. The other is the passage of hard descending chords leading up to the final two minutes of the piece which get a bit sloppy although he takes them at possibly the fastest tempo ever recorded and with such fire and passion I don't think that there is a pianist that has lived that could play them perfectly. I was almost shocked the first time I heard them.
As to how this performance was conceived, it seems to me to be an absolute work of genius. It strikes me as being the perfect balance between the stately, lyrical approach of some pianists and the passionate fireworks of others. The first movement seems to be dominated by the first approach in which Mr. Cliburn fittingly uses the longer of the two cadenzas of the composer, although the issue of which one a performer uses is not a huge one to me. The second movement is relaxed yet moderately paced. All the stops are pulled out for the final movement
of which the overall timing is on the fast side but if nothing else, particularly in his youth,Van Cliburn had the knack for building to a climax so this is not just a race to the finish. In fact, throughout the piece he builds to dramatic high points with excellent phrasing and then levels off or backs off nicely to keep just enough tension.
It is remarkable that such a performance could come from a mind so young as Van Cliburn was at the time and probably running on adreniline and nervous energy, caught up in the thrill of the moment. This performance was a triumph, as can also be judged by the reaction of the crowd at the end who had obviously just heard greatness. This makes the technical flaws in the sound something of a tragedy. But we should be thankful that it was recorded at all and I suppose we can just sit back and imagine what it must have sounded like to those who were there.

Solid but boring.......2007-04-23

For a Russian-trained pianist who made his name playing Russian music in Russia, Cliburn doesn't play these two wonderful staples of the Russian repertoire with much fire or conviction. The tempo of the Prokofiev is so slow that the most motoric parts of this very exciting work fall completely flat. There is no intensity, no suspense, and no excitement - just a lot of nice-sounding notes with a rounded tone. Faster tempi and a little Prokofievian edginess would have gone a long way, because the playing is as solid as a rock and the collaboration is absolutely first-rate.

The Rachmaninov is also thin. In fact, it sounds more like a small chamber work than a concerto. The orchestra sounds puny, and the pianist is meek. Everyone sounds tired, like they could fall asleep at any second - obviously, this is not an effective way to keep an audience's attention. Check out any of Richter's recordings of Rachmaninov 2, or even Rachmaninov's own, and what you'll hear is a languor born not out of laziness and detachment, but out of concentration and commitment to carrying the music's message.

How to destroy a piano.......2006-09-10

The Rach 3 has been my favorite piano concerto since the first time I heard it. (I own 7 different recordings.) I am a pianist myself and have taught piano for decades. The only interpretation I do not like is the one played by Cliburn. I don't know what happened to him between the time he won the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow and the present. He played the Tchaikovsky beautifully, but to my mind, never played as well again. I use his recording to illustrate to my students what really awful playing sounds like. To quote a critic from the Seattle Post Intelligencer (years ago), "He played as if he were trying to destroy the instrument." There is no tenderness, no sensitivity, no quality of tone. I just plain didn't like it.

A benchmark recording........2006-03-19

I've owned this recording in various incarnations for 30 years, and it still represents a benchmark performance. Too bad Cliburn burned out so quickly at the keyboard (although he of course still champions young pianists through his Cliburn Competition in Ft. Worth). But fresh from his early Russian triumph, Cliburn and this recording rode a crest of poularity that was at the time very well deserved. As a live document, it is remarkable both for the consistency of the playing, the excitement of the major passages, and the overall sound. I haven't picked up this "hybrid" version yet, although I intend to. Actually, the original CD still sounds fine to me! Having just revisited the recording tonight, I've found that in the process of collecting a dozen different performances of the Rach Third, my tastes may have changed a bit or at least broadened over the years. As good as the Cliburn is, I find that I have come to prefer in their own way the 30's Horowitz version with Coates, as well as the Horowitz/ Reiner from the fifties, and the composer's own reading. I also very much like the versions by Ashkenazy and Tzimon Barto. As a bonus, you have on this disc a rather wild version of Prokofiev Third (I prefer Barto's and the composer's fleeting versions, but this one is still very good). But no matter what direction you go with as a collector of the Rach Third Concerto (and everyone should have several recordings), the Cliburn/Kondrashin really must be one of them.

Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3; Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 1 [Hybrid SACD]

Average customer rating:

Sunny

Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3; Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 1 [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Classical | Styles | Music

Dvorák Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104; Bruch Kol Nidrei; Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme / Dorati, Starker, London Symphony Orchestra (3-Channel and Stereo Hybrid SACD)
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3 [Hybrid SACD]
Stravinsky: The Firebird (Complete Ballet); Fireworks [Hybrid SACD]
Enesco: Roumanian Rhapsody No. 1; Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies Nos. 1-6 [Hybrid SACD]
Janos Starker: Cello Concertos of Schumann, Lalo, Saint-Saëns [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B0007YP0UE
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

I. Andante-Allegro
II. Tema Con Variazione
III. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
I. Vivace
II. Andante
III. Allegro Vivace
Toccata
Variations On A Theme By Clara Wieck ('Quasi Variazioni')
Song Without Words, Op.62, No.1
I. Run, Run
II. March
III. Hobby-Horse

Customer Reviews:

Sunny.......2007-02-05

I consider myself supremely unqualified to rate any musical item. I am more than happy to criticize literature. Ironically, I have a degree in music and no such thing in literature. But, then again, my literature professor never smacked my hands with a ruler and told me to stop despoiling his piano with my clumsy touch. I wonder if there was anyway to write that last sentence without the suggestion of piano-human sex.

So take this with the salt it deserves--this album is top-notch.

There is something about Janis's playing that I can't put my finger on: somehow, no matter the piece, there is a feeling of cheerfulness. One would expect this in the Prokofiev, but we find it even in the melancholy Rachmaninoff, even slivers of it in the morose Schumann excerpt. It's no cause for complaint: one still gets all the emotion these works deserve. Somehow, still, everything seems so bright and sunny in Janis's hands.

His playing is above any criticism.

This is, perhaps, not my favorite recording of the Rach 1, but that may simply be because I'm used to a more somber sound. Nonetheless, it is a remarkable rendition, clear as a bell. The Prokofiev 3rd is breathtaking, the typical sarcasm and snide humor of the composer.

The Op. 11 Tocatta must be heard to be believed.

The Pinto pieces are charming little bits of dessert.

My only complaint, and this goes not to Janis, is that the album is somewhat old and thus suffers from a kind of dusty grain in the sound. That detracts not a bit from the music itself, however.

Average customer rating:

The Music Sparkles
A TRULY UNIQUE PIANIST

The Art of Ashkenazy

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Chopin: Favorite Piano Works
Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 2 & 3 / Ashkenazy, Kondrashin
Beethoven: Favourite Piano Sonatas / Vladimir Ashkenazy
Chopin: 4 Ballades, 4 Scherzi / Ashkenazy
Beethoven: Piano Concerto Nos.4 & 5

ASIN: B000026BV7
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 3, 1st movement (excerpt) - Rachmaninov
Paganini Variations - Variation XVIII - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Piano Concerto No. 5 - - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Tchaikivsky Piano Concerto No. 1, 2nd movement - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Piano Concerto No. 21, 2nd movement - Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 1, 2nd movement - Prokofiev
Piano Concerto No.2, 2nd movement - Chopin
Piano Concerto No.2, 1st movement, Moderato - Rachmaninov
Piano Concerto No.2, 2nd movement, Adagio sostenuto - Rachmaninov
Piano Concerto No.2, 3rd movement, Allegro scherzando - Rachmaninov

Tracks:

Grande valse brillante, op. 18 - Chopin
Prelude in D flat major, op. 28 no. 15 - Chopin
Etude in G flat major, op. 10 no. 5 - Chopin
Nocturne in E flat major, op.9 no. 2 - Chopin
Waltz in D flat major, op. 64 no.1 - Chopin
Fse - Beethoven
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, op.27 no.2 - Beethoven
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, op. 13 - Beethoven
Impromptu No. 3 in G flat major, D899, Andante - Schubert
Kinderszenen (Scenes from childhood), op. 15, Von fremden Lern und Menschen (Foreign lands and people) - Schumann
Trerei (Dreaming) - Schumann
Polonaise in A major, op.40 no. 1 - Chopin
ude in E major, op. 10 no. 3 - Chopin
Mazurka in D major, op. 33 no. 2 - Chopin
Waltz in C sharp minor, op. 64 no. 2 - Chopin
Fantaisie-impromptu, op. 66 - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Pavane pour une infante dnte - Ravel
10 pieces from Romeo and Juliet, op. 75 - Dance of the girls with lilies - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Prelude in G minor, op. 23 no. 5 - Rachmaninov
Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3 no. 2 - Rachmaninov

Customer Reviews:

The Music Sparkles.......2006-02-24

The selections are stunningly beautiful and how fortunate we are that Ashkenazy defected to the West to develop his great artistry. The two CDs give almost 160 minutes of music that is exciting, inspiring and comforting and it is definitely a keeper.I found it by accident while reading a review of another artist, his name was mentioned as someone to check out. That is what I love about Amazon, there is so much information in the reviews and listening to the segments gives you a good idea of what to expect.

A TRULY UNIQUE PIANIST.......2000-03-18

Vladamir Ashkenazy is one of our lifetime's greatest pianists. Ever since winning the Tchaikovsky competition, his reputation as a pianist has grown stronger and more forthright. This collection takes us through various scopes of the piano repetoire. Being a classical pianist, I hold myself extremely dedicated to the faithful reproduction of piano music on to CD recordings. However, when one is listening to a recording of Ashkenazy's, the responsobility diminishes. With a name and reputation such as this man's there is no need to worry. All piano-music lovers will enjoy this fine collection. There are moments of technical finesse, bravura and showmanship. At other times there are passages of the utmost lyrical beauty. The concertos of Rachmaninov and Chopin are particularly well tackled by Ashkenazy. I have solely one minor criticism of this collection - it would have been nice to have heard some works of Liszt and Beethoven. Ashkenazy is a brilliant interpreter of Beethoven's sonatas in particular. However, with the wealth of compositions already on the CD, there is no real need for this. This CD is will offer its' listener hours upon hours of listening pleasure. All dur to two things - the composers and their music, and Ashkenazy - a truly unique pianist.

Average customer rating:

Best of Horowitz
Truly Legendary...with icing on the cake...
Highs and Lows
Called "Legendary" for a reason
What More Can I Say That Hasn't Been Said?

Horowitz: Legendary RCA Recordings

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Magic of Horowitz
Horowitz Live and Unedited [includes Bonus DVD]
Horowitz: The Last Recording
Horowitz Plays Rachmaninoff/Concerto for Piano in Dm; Sonata for Piano No2/Vladimir Horowitz, Pianist
Horowitz in Moscow

ASIN: B0000CE9YK
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Amazon.com

This seems to be RCA's attempt to create the perfect Horowitz sampler. It's a pretty good try. The Tchaikovsky First Concerto, considered definitive in its day, seems more of a technical than musical accomplishment today, but there's no denying the hyper-excitement generated by Horowitz and Toscanini. The Rachmaninov Third is one of Horowitz's great accomplishments, stunningly played and superbly accompanied by Reiner. The solo disc generally plays to Horowitz's strengths, with marvellous playing of such specialties as Schumann, Scriabin, Scarlatti, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, and Clementi. (Horowitz was the only major pianist to appreciate Clementi, bless him.) The Chopin items include an unfortunately steely-sounding Polonaise-Fantaisie(along with a beautiful Mazurka), and the Liszt Mephisto Waltz gets pretty frantic at moments. Still, hearing this set will give you a well-rounded picture of Horowitz's art. RCA's producer-engineer Jon Samuels has gotten remarkably fine results with some of these antiquities. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Best of Horowitz.......2006-02-22

Those of us who were fortunate to SEE as well as hear pianist Vladimir Horowitz perform in concert will long remember the quiet, nervous, and rather timid man who slowly walked on the stage. When I saw him at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland in 1978, he hadn't played on the West Coast in many years. Actually, Horowitz was absent from concert halls for years, only making recordings, either for RCA Victor or Columbia.

His Oakland appearance was recorded by RCA and portions of the concert were included in the commercial releases; the engineers would take the best from various performances and cleverly edit them together to give a strong performance. Actually, Horowitz was absolutely dazzling once he sat down at the piano. Despite the initial tentative appearance, he really came to life when he began to play. He was a living legend by 1978 and he did not disappoint the audience. Fortunately, recordings such as those included in this two-CD set give excellent examples of his virtuoso playing.

The 1941 recording session of Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto was made in Carnegie Hall with the NBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Horowitz's father-in-law, Arturo Toscanini. Yes, Horowitz had married Wanda Toscanini. One wonders what Toscanini thought about having Horowitz in his family. It's clear, however, the Toscanini and Horowitz had great respect for each other and they worked well together. This is quite apparent in this celebrated, very popular recording, originally issued on 78-rpm discs.

By 1941 RCA Victor had reached a new standard in high fidelity, which was only limited by the surface noise of the shellac discs. This digital remastering has reduced the noise slightly while maintaining as much of the fidelity as possible. The performance is very exciting throughout. Given the difficulty of the solo passages, it is amazing how well Horowitz played this music. Toscanini, who only occasionally conducted the music of Tchaikovsky, saw to it that the NBC Symphony provided strong accompaniment throughout. The memorable orchestral interlude in the first movement is especially dramatic and powerful. An interesting comparison is Horowitz's live concert performance (also in Carnegie Hall) with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony from 1943, also released by RCA Victor; that performance is more "fluid" and there is one section in the second movement where Horowitz and the orchestra got a little "out of synch" for a few moments.

Just ten years later, Horowitz recorded Rachmaninoff's third piano concerto with a "pick-up" orchestra of New York musicians conducted by Fritz Reiner. This was recorded in Carnegie Hall on magnetic tape and the sound is much improved. The performance was the second of three recordings that Horowitz made of the concerto and it may be the best of them. Certainly Rachmaninoff himself had admired Horowitz's performances of his music and this clearly demonstrates why.

The other disc includes numerous shorter works, all briliantly played and all evidence of the wonderful playing of Horowitz. Some of them are taken from live performances and have the extra value of showing how well Horowitz played in concert. A special treat is Horowitz's popular arrangement of music from Georges Bizet's "Carmen," one of the most dazzling pieces the pianist ever played. I also enjoyed his fiery performance of Lizst's "Mephisto Waltz," clearly a devilish piece inspired by part of the Faust legend.

This is a wonderful compilation and a good introduction to the excellent playing of Vladimir Horowitz.

Truly Legendary...with icing on the cake..........2005-07-07

This cd is one of the best Horowitz compilations that exists. It is indeed Legendary. The recording of the Rach 3 here is the top, greatest reading of the piece, how Rachmaninoff himself would have approved. The Tchaikovsky with Toscanini is my favorite, even though Horowitz does not take many chances in tempo and whatnot because, afterall, he was playing with his great, fiery-tempered father-in-law. Now, on to the second disk. Despite what some people say about the Polonaise-Fantaisie, I believe it is a great reading, and Horowitz never drags the tempo like Ashkenazy often does. The Mazurka is beautiful indeed (the 1965 version is better) and the forever famous Nocturne can bother people who are used to Rubinstein's interpretation. The reading of the Nocturne is somewhat like Cortot's - different. The schumann Traumerei is beautifully done (it was toped, however, by the version in Horowitz in Moscow). The Scriabin preludes are full of color, but what really is fascinating is the Etude op.8 no.12 (not op. 18, as the cd cover says). This version is slower than Horowitz's usual tempo, and there are finger slips and mistakes. There are some "neurotic" sections, and all this is explained by the fact that Horowitz, at the time, was going through a period of uncertainty and failure, I guess you could say, because of all the medicine he was taking. It is, however, beautiful instead of powerful, and Horowitz is in control. The favorite encores Etincelles and Carmen variations are excellent, and the Rachmaninoff prelude is the most beautiful, deep, and searching reading I have ever heard. The Mephisto Waltz is a showpiece, and Horowitz plays it like it is intended to be, a little out of control in some places however.

Overall, this is an excellent 2-cd compilation. BUY IT!

Highs and Lows.......2005-07-04

Although the Tchaikovsky is "viscerally exciting" as one reviewer put it, it is unfortunately much too fast. While Horowitz certainly has the technical skills to pull this off, some of the grandeur of this concerto is lost along the way. It's too bad they couldn't instead have included Horowitz's incredible 1943 performance (also with Toscanini) of the concerto, which has all of the power and none of the rushing.

The second half of the first CD is an incredible performance of Rachmaninoff's 3rd concerto, somehow managing to contain both the power and grandeur of that work. The only flaw is a sound which (like in Cliburn's recording of the Rach 2 with Reiner) lacks a bit at times in terms of balance.

The second disk is a similar mixed bag, with both high points (the Rachmaninoff G-Major prelude is just gorgeous) and lows (I'm not a big fan of the Mephisto Waltz as recorded here). Nevertheless, there's certainly more than $17.98 worth of 5-star music on this set, so I conder it worth a 5-star rating.

Called "Legendary" for a reason.......2004-06-10

This set includes numerous staples of Horowitz's repertoire, most formidably the two concertos, complimented by the three Chopin pieces, Traumerei, Etincelles, and the Rachmaninoff prelude. It also includes three relatively unplayed composers whose music Horowitz championed: Clementi, Poulenc and Scarlatti. Other less publicly-performed pieces in Horowitz's repertoire are included on this disc, the Scriaban pieces, Horowitz's own arrangement of Bizet's Carmen, the Prokofiev Toccata and the Mephisto Waltz.

The two concerto recordings are quite possibly the best ones of the respective pieces, except for Cliburn's Tchaikovsky concerto performance in 1958. The piano sounds almost metallic in the Polonaise-Fantaisie, a fault of RCA's. Most everything else on the second disc is flawless, excluding the Mephisto Waltz. Horowitz is widely acclaimed to bring the most tones out of the piano, but, in the Mephisto Waltz, there are lots of places where the tone is simply . . . bad. It is labeled as "Horowitz's retouching of the Busoni transcription". I, first of all, do not even agree with most of the Busoni transcription, and, as a result, do not agree at all with Horowitz's interpretation. In my opinion, Cliburn's and Kapell's versions are far superior.

So, buy the disc for the well-known Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Chopin, and Prokofiev, and the lesser-known Poulenc, Clementi and Scarlatti. Do not listen to the Mephisto Waltz! In fact, the first time I heard it I screamed out, "What were you thinking!?".
But maybe I am a little uptight about these sorts of things.

What More Can I Say That Hasn't Been Said?.......2003-12-11

Drake, the reviewer above or below this review, made me purchase this CD ... I advice you to do the same.

The two major concertos on the first disc were for me the main attractions, and they do not disappoint. The Rach 3rd especially is a must in your collection. It's indeed the one with Reiner (the most praised of all the Horowitz readings).

Tracks:

The Four Seasons: Concerto No.1 In E 'Spring': I. Allegro
Schindler's List: Theme
Requiem: Ingemisco
The Piano: The Heart Asks Pleasure First
Symphony No.5 In C Minor: I. Allegro con brio
The Deer Hunter: Cavatina
Puer natus est nobis
Cello Concerto In E Minor: I. Adagio
Turandot: Nessun dorma
Piano Concerto: I. Allegro molto moderato
Andrea Chenier: La mamma morta
Waltz No.6 In D Flat, 'Minute'
Adagio In G Minor
Carmen: Habanera
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat: III. Rondo (Allegro vivace)
Canon In D
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
New World Symphony: II. Largo
La Traviata: Brindisi
Carmina Burana: O Fortuna

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.1In B Flat Minor: I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso (Opening)
Symphony No.3 'Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs': II. Lento e largo - Tranquillissimo
Flute and Harp Concerto In C: II. Andantino
Lakme: Flower Duet
The Four Seasons: Winter: I. Allegro non molto
Porgy And Bess: Summertime
Bolero
Ave Maria
Gymnopedie No.1
Romeo & Juliet: Montagues and Capulets
Rhapsody On A Theme OF Paganinni: Variation 18
Walking In The Air
Sonata No.14 In C Sharp Minor 'Moonlight': I. Adagio sostenuto
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
Eine kleine Nachtmusik: I. Allegro
NIMROD: Enigma Variations
Swan Lake: Act One: Finale
Orchestral Suite No.3 In D: Air on the G String
The Planets: Jupiter
1812 Overture

Customer Reviews:

Forget what they SAY.......2003-11-10

Many of these prior reviewers complain that the abundance of operas and vocals degrate this compilation. They don't know what they're talking about. These genres are what made Classical music popular in it's age. In that era the forum for showcasing "classical music" was operas! Hence why most of these works are lost in the shuffle. Most of us know Mozart and Beethoven's compositions by ear but there are so many other great composers that existed and these CD's will show you but a PIECE. But, fair warning, these CD's show only a small fraction of the whole movement (song). If you truly dig the genre you're in for a treat, investigate!

Most Aggravating Album in the World!.......2002-05-26

This CD is the first thing I ever returned to Amazon. It is an inferior product--selections cut off abruptly before the end, volume fades and returns in the middle of a cut...production values are pure schlock here. Maybe I should have expected as much from such a sophomoric title.

A fair introduction to Classical Music.......2001-03-03

I purchased this CD because I am new