Album
The Piano Concertos
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02:45:02
1
he driving reason I recommend this DG full set – again, mainly for those who already own a few separate Concerto recordings – is that Vasary and conductor Aranovich play down the straightforward approach so often encountered, such as with the excellent Ashkenazy and Previn and most recently under Maazel with Gutierrez at the keyboard. Good as these versions are the Vasary set offers a chance to hear some real variety and unexpected ideas: Vasary clearly has looked carefully through the music and come up with a very reasoned alternative to what we almost always hear. And in addition his performance abounds in a close sparkling look at a host of often too perfunctory handled details.Sergej Rachmaninov
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3
onsense readings of the Concertos! These represent what might be called the high and mighty approach – nothing wild or imaginative, all powerful exceptional playing and unshakeable conviction. Reminds me of my dad’s generation when driving across the country – they knew where they were going and they didn’t stop or dilly-dally in the slightest. The old sound holds most back from listening. This is not to suggest the Vasary DG set is wayward – there is an undeniable certainty about it all – but these are not the tempos in these Concertos most of us are used to, and a very long way in places from the composer’s versions. (For a differing older version of a pianist much admired by the composer, one showcasing highly refined, felicitous playing, you can also look up Benno Moiseiwitsch (Given Amazon’s persnickety spelling demands – best to follow the link!)Sergej Rachmaninov
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4
f all of these Concertos I like best Vasary’s playing of the 1st Concerto – his gift as a colorist lends to the music’s Byzantine splendor a sharp cut glass brilliance. This is effectively set off by the rich sonorities of the London Symphony under Aranovich, who makes an excellent and understanding partner. Unlike the recent Zimerman Chopin Concertos, where the pianist’s leadership from the keyboard created far too much sag, here the slower tempos are more secure and the symphonic architecture, a feature in all Rachmaninov’s Concertos, is inherently more tightly constructed than was the case for Chopin’s Concertos; the work holds together better when put under pressure or asked to support strong detailing. Among older performances I like the composer’s own playing – but the sound IS seventy years old!Sergej Rachmaninov
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