Sergei Rachmaninoff - Great Pianists of the 20th Century

The commercial success of the Rachmaninoff disc A Window in Time defied the odds and became a chart topper: here were recordings not of the great pianist-composer but of his piano rolls. Only problem: they were just piano rolls. By contrast, these discs (part of Philips's comprehensive Great Pianists series) offer an affordable chance to hear the real Rach in action, and they're not to be missed. The composer's big hands tackle Chopin's Funeral March Sonata with a sobering grace and power that still sound timeless. Schumann's Carnival, despite low fidelity, is breathtaking in Rachmaninoff's colorful hands. Hearing the composer play his own works on disc 2 is a revelation: his style is neither flashy nor subdued. Oriental Sketch is expressive and rollicking but never overdone. The sound quality on these recordings ranges from fair to good (surface noise is always apparent), but to fans of Rachmaninoff (and great piano playing), a little hiss can be easily ignored. These recordings have a ton of character and life. --Jason Verlinde