Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 / Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

This is one of the great Rachmaninoff CDs. In fact, it may be the best performance ever of the Paganini Rhapsody, not just because of Arthur Rubinstein's delicious playing of the solo part, but also because of the steely brilliance of Fritz Reiner's accompaniments. Famous for its lushly romantic "18th Variation" (which is nothing but the main tune played upside down!), the piece is actually the only one I know in which the composer shows a real sense of humor. The ending is one of the most hilarious anticlimaxes in all of music. Add to this a super performance of the eternally popular Second Piano Concerto, and the result is irresistible. --David Hurwitz