Search - Sergey Rachmaninov, Charles Münch, Fritz Reiner :: Rachmaninoff: Concertos Nos. 1 & 3

Superb rendition of a difficult work.

tvsfrank | 12/19/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A transparent, incredibly thoughtful rendition of Rachmaninoff's masterpiece. Every note shines in Byron Janis' spectacular playing of this most difficult of concertos, backed by one of true geniuses of music: Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony at its apex. Flawless, brilliant recording. A must."

Great recording

tvsfrank | Winter Park, Florida United States | 07/13/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Byron Janis' rendition of Rachmaninov's 1st and 3rd Concertos are nothing short of sheer brilliance. His 1st is lightning quick and full of energy. Only Earl Wild's 1st comes close to it. Janis' 3rd is second only to Argerich's with Chailly on Phillips. The faster pace that he and Argerich chooses for the 3rd is more in line with Rachmaninov's reading, unlike Ashkenazy's or Kissin's who chooses to take the opening more slowly. The recording quality of the RCA Living Stereo is quite good, although there are a couple of places where the sound does distort a bit. In the end, this is a very good CD well worth having."

Rachmaninoff rocks

William D. Wright | Spokane Wa USA | 02/03/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In the whole of Classical Concerti, anything done on Living Stereo between 1958 and 1966 would rate very high. This recording, however soars. Byron Janis as pianist and Munch as well as Reiner held the esteem of many classical record collectors when these performances were mere pieces of black vinyl. But with digital remastering these pieces once again soar to heights of glory. The current generation of musicians who study these performances can finally hear (without popping and ticking) what their siblings and parents raved about.

Janis's technique matches any of the current crop of wunderkind pianists these days and the orchestral accompaniment esp. the Rachmaninoff, shows what good ensemble playing is all about. The ONLY way to improve on this disc is to reissue it as a SACD hybrid and really bring the center of the orchestra, not to mention proper channel.ing of the piano. The ONLY way to improve on a recording well done is to hear it LIVE and not too many of us have the opportunity to hear this quality in our hometowns. For those needing a refresher course in quality concerto playing, this disc is for you. For those too young to know the thrilling glory of a quality performance, buy this disc and then compare it to a newer pianist. You'll be quite surprised!"