Balakirev, Mily

Average customer rating:

good selection
Bad recording quality

100 Best Piano Classics

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000GPIPQK
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Tracks:

Nocturne In C-Sharp Minor - Mikhail Pletnev
La Campanella - Andre Watts
I. Adagio Sostenuto - Mikhail Pletnev
Etude Op.10 No.3: Lento Ma Non Troppo - Stanislav Bunin
III. Rondo Alla Turca: Allegro - Moura Lympany
La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin - Moura Lympany
Moment Musical D780 No.3: Allegro Moderato - Stephen Kovacevich
Waltz In D-Flat Op.64 No.1 - John Ogdon
The Heart Asks Pleasure First - Michael Nyman
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring From Cantata BWV 147 - Alexis Weissenberg
Polonaise In A-Flat Op.53 Heroique - Martha Argerich
Fur Elise - Jean-Bernard Pommier
Fruhlingslied Op.62 No.6 - Jean-Bernard Pommier
Fantaisie-Impromptu In C-Sharp Minor Op.66 - Stanislav Bunin
Rondo In D K485 - Stanislav Bunin
Arabesque No.1 - Aldo Ciccolini
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte - Cecile Ousset

Tracks:

I. Allegro - Christian Zacharias
Grande Valse Brillante In E-Flat Op.18 - Alexis Weissenberg
Rhapsody In Blue - Wayne Marshall
I. Grande Ritournelle - Aldo Ciccolini
Etude Op.10 No.5 In G-Flat - Stanislav Bunin
Aufschwung - Martha Argerich
Rondo Capriccioso In E Op.14 - Helmut Roloff
I. Allegro - John Ogdon
Les Jeux D'eau A La Villa D'Este - Andre Watts
I. Ondine - Martha Argerich
Impromptu No.2 In F Minor Op.31 - Cecile Ousset
Le Piccadilly - Aldo Ciccolini
Invitation To The Dance D-Flat Op.65 - Thierry De Brunhoff
I. Allegro - Christian Zacharias
III. Allegro Ma Non Tanto - Alexis Weissenberg
I Got Rhythm - Variations For Piano And Orchestra - Wayne Marshall

Tracks:

Gymnopedie No.1 - Aldo Ciccolini
Gnossienne No.1 - Aldo Ciccolini
Reverie - Aldo Ciccolini
Un Sospiro - Andre Watts
II. Andante - Stephen Hough
II. Adagio Cantabile - Stephen Kovacevich
Tango Op.165 No.2 - Moura Lympany
Consolation No.3 In D-Flat - Tzimon Barto
Song Without Words No.1 In E Op.19b No.1 - Daniel Adni
Prelude In A Op.28 No.7 - John Ogdon
Aria - Maria Tipo
Vogel Als Prophet - Moura Lympany
II. Pagodes - Cecile Ousset
Nocturne In D-Flat Op.9 No.2 - Alexis Weissenberg
Nocturne In D-Flat Op.27 No.2 - Aldo Ciccolini
II. Adagio - Dmitri Alexeev
Berceuse In D-Flat Op.57 - Peter Donohoe

Tracks:

Etude Op.10 No.12 In C Minor Revolutionary - Stanislav Bunin
III. Rondo: Allegro - Emil Gilels
I. Allegro Molto Moderato - Sviatoslav Richter
Polonaise No.3 In A Op.40 No.1 Military - John Ogdon
III. Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Presto - Moura Lympany
Slavonic Dance In E Minor Op.46 No.2: Allegro Scherzando - Michel Beroff
Etude Op.8 No.12 - Stephen Kovacevich
Prelude In C - Edwin Fischer
I. Allegretto - Peter Donohoe
III. Marcia Funebre - Mikhail Pletnev
Prelude In C Sharp Minor Op.3 No.2 - Alexis Weissenberg
I. Largo - Allegro - Stephen Kovacevich
Scherzo No.3 In F-Sharp Minor Op.39 - Martha Argerich
Islamey - Andrei Gavrilov
The Great Gate Of Kiev - Alexis Weissenberg
I. Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Moderato - Andrei Gavrilov

Tracks:

Liebestraum - Alexis Weissenberg
Clair De Lune - Alexis Weissenberg
I. Moderato - Andrei Gavrilov
Prelude In D-Flat Op.28 No.15 Raindrop - John Ogdon
Valse Romantique - Aldo Ciccolini
Jeux D'eau - Cecile Ousset
Valse-Impromptu - Alexis Weissenberg
Waltz Op.39 No.15 - Jean-Bernard Pommier
Variation No.18: Andante Cantabile - Cecile Ousset
Nocturne In F-Sharp Op.15 No.2 - Maurizio Pollini
Alborada Del Gracioso - Cecile Ousset
Sonata In D-Minor Pastorale L413 - Aldo Ciccolini
Klavierstuck In F K33b - Stanislav Bunin
I. Valse Oubliee - Andre Watts
Waltz In C-Sharp Minor Op.64 No.2 - John Ogdon
II. En Bateau - Michel Beroff
I. Allegro Maestoso - Martha Argerich

Tracks:

The Maiden's Prayer - Jean-Bernard Pommier
Humoresque - Andre Watts
Traumerei - Mikhail Pletnev
Invention No.1 In C BWV 772 - Aldo Ciccolini
The Harmonious Blacksmith - Moura Lympany
Le Coucou - Moura Lympany
Canciones Y Danzas - No.1 - Gonzalo Soriano
Golliwogg's Cakewalk - Moura Lympany
Nocturne In E-Flat Op.9 No.2 - John Ogdon
Sinfonia No.1 In C BWV 787 - Aldo Ciccolini
Melodie No.1 In F Op.3 No.1 - Moura Lympany
November: Troika - Mikhail Pletnev
June: Barcarolle - Mikhail Pletnev
Choral Prelude BWV 645: Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme - Stanislav Bunin
Minuet In G - Moura Lympany
Berceuse - Jean-Philippe Collard
IV. Theme & Variations - Sviatoslav Richter

Customer Reviews:

good selection.......2007-05-11

my cds were standard recording quality

an overall good selection. It is sometimes hard to jump from different composers, but the cds flow well overall, an excellent way to catch a masterpiece you might have missed.

Bad recording quality.......2007-01-16

I bought this a week ago. I have never heard such bad recordings before. The first CD is the worst. There are loud scratching sounds, some songs are extremely hard to hear. Other CDs are better, but none are top quality. Great selection, but the poor recording quality makes it difficult to "lose yourself" in the music.

Haydn, Rachmaninoff, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Balakirev / Lang Lang

Average customer rating:

Is individualism in music really that bad?
Not sure what to think
I don't understand this obsession with Lang Lang. . .
personal preference
Great performance

Haydn, Rachmaninoff, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Balakirev / Lang Lang
Joseph Haydn , Sergei Rachmaninoff , Johannes Brahms , Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky , and Mily Balakirev
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Lang Lang Live at Carnegie Hall
Memory [Includes Bonus CD]
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2; Paganini Rhapsody
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3, Scriabin Etudes
Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn: First Piano Concertos

ASIN: B000059SYO
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Tracks:

I. Moderato
II. Allegretto
III. Finale: Presto
I. Allegro Agitato
II. Non Allegro/Lento
III. Allegro Molto
I. Intermezzo In A Minor
II. Intermezzo In A Minor
III. Ballade In G Minor
IV. Intermezzo In F Minor
V. Romanze In F Major
VI. Intermezzo In E Flat Minor
Dumka (Russian Rustic Scene)
Nocturne In C Sharp Minor
Islamey (Oriental Fantasy)

Amazon.com

This CD, apparently a recording debut, presents a Chinese pianist in his teens in live performance (at Ozawa Hall, Tanglewood). It has many successful elements. The first one is the pianist's selection of Haydn to begin his program, since few pianists these days bother to investigate the riches of Haydn's prodigious piano output. Lang proves thoroughly sympathetic to Haydn's idiom, in a delightful, witty performance. It's a huge distance from Haydn to Rachmaninoff, but Lang has complete command of Rachmaninoff's extravagant virtuosity, and he makes this bombastic piece--not one of the composer's best--sound like convincing music. The most impressive performance on the disc is the Brahms set, on which the playing is poised and mature. The way Lang builds the crescendo in the central section of the final Intermezzo is the work of a mature artist, whatever his age. The uncommon Tchaikovsky pieces are also excellent. Only in the final Balakirev, where Lang sounds just a trifle cautious, can one have even slight reservations about his abilities; perhaps he was just tiring at the end of the concert. Unlike many CDs issued today, this one makes a very satisfying listening program, just like the recital it reproduces (with excellent sound quality). --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Is individualism in music really that bad?.......2007-05-29

I bought this disc alongside Yundi Li's Chopin debut album recorded with DG.
Frankly, Yundi's debut album was much more easy to the ears than Lang Lang's Tanglewood recital, unless you happen (and rarely) to dislike Chopin. My listening rate of this album to Yundi Li's was around 1 to 4 initially, gradually to out numbering the other.
Why so? The opening Haydn may account for some thing. It isn't badly played, but it is not movingly played. Lang simply hadn't warmed up yet. Then the other pieces in the set are not really charmers like Yundi's Chopin album.
However, once you are able to move beyond Haydn, you get into the performance arena of young Lang, and inevitably his playing captures the listener like magnet, starting with the Rachmanioff sonata, and bringing you right through to the last 'showpiece'. There has to be that amount of performance concentration, the uptight emotional depth, and the musicality running through ALL those pieces, ALWAYS backed up by outstanding dexterity in playing.
Oh, yea, you may call Lang's style showy; but if a performer is souless and deathly boring, what would you call him/her then? And to be showy implies that there IS some thing to be shown.

Not sure what to think.......2007-03-01

I love Lang's interpretation of the Haydn because it is so immaculate. He listens carefully that every note is placed carefully.

I'm not sure what is going through Lang's head with the Rachmaninoff, or the Brahms or the Tchaikovsky because everyone seems to have something negative to say about his playing. But I reserve judgement of his playing of the heavyweight compositions here for a later time.

I don't understand this obsession with Lang Lang. . . .......2007-01-08

I remember seeing Lang Lang play the Balakirev Islamey as part of a special on him (not a recital) on television. It was probably the worst performance of the piece I've ever heard. With all due respect, the piece is physically very demanding. I think Lang Lang put this on his program to prove a point and fails to do so. Clearly, it is out of Lang Lang's range. It may not be later in his career, but at this point, it definitely is. If you look at Evgeny Kissin, he wasn't playing Islamey, Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 3 or Stravinsky's Three Movements from Petroushka as one of his first performances or recordings. Kissin's way has always been to take a piece, no matter what it is, and go about three extra miles.

If you want to hear this piece played as it is meant to be heard, Andrei Gavrilov's performance of Islamey is second to none. His electrifying performance has amazing technique and power.

There is something about everything Lang Lang plays that is unnatural, a bad kind of unnatural. Quirky mannerisms don't belong in every piece that a pianist plays. Horowitz had a certain kind of quirkiness, but it is called personality. Lang Lang is a quirky pianist just for the sake of being quirky, with no consistency at all - it is not his personality, but a distraction from the music.

If you ever see Lang Lang in live performance, why does he make so much superfluous movement? A Lang Lang performance is about Lang Lang, and not his music. If you want to hear a supervirtuoso who is dedicated to the music, I recommend Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin or the up-and-coming pianist Sergio Tiempo. I'm looking forward to hearing more from Tiempo.

I don't really care if you think this review is useful or not, I'm just a pianist who feels very strongly against Lang Lang, and believe that his following is a bunch of people that don't fully understand (or understand at all) the art of the piano.

personal preference.......2006-07-29

For some of these pieces, I prefer the recordings of artists such as Daniel Barenboim, Martha Argerich, Emanuel Ax, Byron Janis, or John Ogdon.

Great performance.......2006-07-18

Lang Lang has an electrifying technique and style. I'm a professional classical musician, and I've listened to some recordings of the pianists that were mentioned here by other reviewers. All I have to say is that good music and great musicians should move people's heart. And Lang Lang does just that. If you thought Brahms was dull and Balakirev was trashy, you should listen to this CD.

If he keeps up, I think Lang Lang is going to be a legend.

Average customer rating:

Graffman on Tchaikovsky, Balakirev, and Mussourgsky
Proves there is more to Tchaikovsky than sentimentality!
Legendary golden performances!
Best Ever Tchaikovsky Concerti

Tchaikovsky: The Three Piano Concertos

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000AARL3O
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Customer Reviews:

Graffman on Tchaikovsky, Balakirev, and Mussourgsky.......2006-10-04

All of the other reviewers below have said all that can be said about this 2 CD set of Graffman's performace of all three Tchaikovsky piano concertos. Superb performances of all three. The second and third concertos have always been lesser known among concert-going audiences; the singing melody of the opening of the first concerto and the "war horse" status is has achieved has cast a long shadow over the second and third concertos (akin to the situation we find between the Rachmaninoff second and third concertos). Nonetheless, the second concerto is equally good but quite different. The third movement of the second is simply fantastic music, and Graffman really plays it extraordinarily well and riveting (listen to those octaves!). Graffman does not really have the reputation of being a "super virtuoso" (or does he? I might be wrong). But upon a listening of his performance of Balakirev's Islamey, one sits back in the chair and gasps, "I had no idea!" This is one of the most even and over all best performances of Islamey I've ever heard (yes, Barere's might be faster, but Graffman's is better; and if you want tempo in your Islamey, Graffman's is right up there; it is not as slow or dragging as other recordings). Graffman is really a solid, tasetful, and great pianist. One wishes that he had recorded more of the Romantic solo piano repertoire. These recordings of the Tchaikovsky concertos are some of the best. Barry Douglas' performance of the first is a bit more riveting than Graffman, but Graffman's version seems to possess a quality that is lacking in all other versions of this concerto. Highly recommended.

Proves there is more to Tchaikovsky than sentimentality!.......2006-06-15

This remains one of my favourite two recordings of Tchaikovsky's 1st concerto because Graffman unearths more depth and seriousness than any pianist I have so far heard. His interpretation is not as red-hot as Horowitz's (still the benchmark or reference by which any other must be measured), but so utterly free from superficiality and at the same time the artificiality of others who have tried as hard to prove there is more than sentimentality, heroism and Russian gloom to this warhorse.
Surprisingly, if there is any weekness to the performance as a whole, it would be Szell's no more than solid, less than enthusiastic accompaniment. Being a Szell and Cleveland fan (who is not?), I just know he could have done better (as Kondrashin did for Van Cliburn). No big matter, though.
This latest remastering is certainly the most successful I have heard (and this is one of those recordings I buy again every time a sonically improved version becomes available), in fact, I could hardly believe how much more full-bodied yet natural it sounds compared to Sony's earlier release.

Having said all this, I feel it does improve one's view of the composition if you own and listen to alternative recordings, and I strongly believe that doing so is the only way to keep the most famous classical warhorses from wearing off. Favourite alternative versions include Horowitz/Toscanini, Cliburn/Kondrashin, Janis/Menges, Richter/Karajan, all inspired and positively different from each other (and all but Horowitz in very good to fine stereo).

As to the interpretations of Tchaikovsky's 2nd and 3rd concerti with Ormandy, I must admit I only know a handful of alternatives, but I promise if you own these recordings, you will not need any. Most inspired collaborations of soloist and orchestra that will make you listen to these lesser-known concerti much more often than you might think.

Graffman's Pictures are a bit uneven - attractive in places, though on the whole no competition to Janis, Horowitz and Richter. Graffman's Islamey, on the other hand, is awesome, and is recorded in so much better sounding stereo than Arrau's historic 1928 recording.

In a nutshell: a set to cherish!

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

Legendary golden performances!.......2005-12-31

At last! after a long waiting, the Sonny label has released this treasured album. The First piano Concerto is elegant and thundering with a persuasive and mercurial approach. One of my Five superior choices of this well known piece.

The Second Piano Concerto simply is insuperable. I do not know about another performance that can steal its primacy. It possesses Oriental Fantasy, Caucasian passion, and febrile Balkan intensity. Graffman was truly enraptured and inspired as Ormandy did. This team made the most incandescent and Imperial performances of these two Piano Concertos Two and Three played with minor frequency than the First one.

Finally these Pictures are authentically sparkling and superbly performed. In what Islamey concerns, two serious rivals: Simon Barere and Julius Katchen marked an abysmal distance respect the other players, and this version might be the Third choice.

Voilá for this release.

Best Ever Tchaikovsky Concerti.......2005-10-09

I've been waiting over 20 years for these recordings to make it to CD. The long wait is finally over, and I can again revel in the finest readings these works have ever received. The piano playing is simply astonishing. The orchestral playing and conducting totally sympathetic. From Ormandy (2 & 3) that's no surprise, but anyone who thinks of the late George Szell as a cold, calculating conductor is in for a shock: this first piano concerto is thrilling and as romantic as they come. If you are looking for a set of Tchaikovsky piano concertos, stop and look no further. There have been many recordings since these came out in LP, but none have been as great. (One cautionary note: the second movement of the 2nd concerto uses the Siloti edition, but I'll over look that.) I can still remember the critical quote on the original LP: "Stunning, pure gold!" It still it.

Average customer rating:

A Unique Millennium Event
Glenn Gould on Acid.
A first - rate pianist!
Lots of flash....Too much, in fact
The better the music, the worse he plays it.

Pletnev Live at Carnegie Hall

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000056PRG
Release Date: 2001-01-30

Tracks:

Partita No.2, BWV 1004: Chaconne in d
Pno Son No.32 in c, Op.111: 1. Maestoso - Allegro Con Brio Ed Appassionato
Pno Son No.32 in c, Op.111: 2. Arietta. Adagio Molto Semplice E Cantabile
Scherzo No.1 in b, Op.20
Scherzo No.2 in b-flat, Op.31
Scherzo No.3 in c#, Op.39
Scherzo No.4 in E, Op.54

Tracks:

Etude-Tableau in e-flat, Op.39 No.5: Appassionato
Poeme in F#, Op.32 No.1: Andante Cantabile
Son in d, K.9: Allegro Moderato
Etude De Virtuosite in F, Op.72 No.6: Presto
Islamey: Oriental Fant: Presto Con Fuoco

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

The 44-year-old Russian pianist-conductor Mikhail Pletnev made a belated Carnegie Hall debut as a pianist in November 2000. Listening to that recital on this CD confirms the wisdom of the pianist's decision to resign as music director of the Russian National Orchestra. In the Bach-Busoni "Chaconne," Pletnev's crescendos wash over the listener like tidal waves; the mighty edifice of the music seems to rise, mysteriously and inexorably, on its own. The angry surges in the first movement of Beethoven's Sonata, opus 111, are perhaps overdrawn. But the concluding movement's variations glide by as if in a dream, suggesting the transformation of the earlier movement's passionate anger into a vision of Paradise beyond the power of words to describe. In Chopin's Four Scherzos, Pletnev emphasizes too many details and inhibits the music's lyrical sweep. But the charm and dazzling pyrotechnics of his encores help make this the first great piano recording of the millennium. After Rachmaninov, Scriabin, Scarlatti, and Moszkowski, Pletnev's fifth and final encore was Balakirev's transcendentally difficult Islamey. The superhuman virtuosity, sonorous splendor, and Technicolor exoticism of this performance will knock your socks off--and the rest of your clothes as well! --Stephen Wigler

Customer Reviews:

A Unique Millennium Event.......2007-05-09

Having written extensively on Mr Pletnev's hyper-idiosyncratic playing in his 1997 Chopin Recital, it is interesting to turn to his 2000 live Carnegie Hall Recital--where the main programmed attractions are the four Chopin Scherzos. You will not find a better recording of the Scherzos as a group--even if Argerich surpasses Pletnev in terms of ferocious drive and sheer brilliance in Nos 2 & 3. Pletnev's Scherzo No 4 is the best yet to have appeared on disc--`perfect' in the sense that music virtually comes to life as a free-standing organism. Never before has Chopin's genial writing in this work been conveyed with such impeccable mastery.

As one can expect, all the large-scale bombast in the Bach-Busoni Chaconne is delivered with high-voltage pianism in the Grand Manner. By sharp contrast, the second movement in Beethoven's last Sonata is given its probably dreamiest account ever--which evidently reveals Beethoven as one of the main initiators of the romantic era. As far as the encores go, generously provided by DG on the supplementary disc, they are delivered with such panache and masterfulness that you are unlikely to find them bettered--irrespective of where you look. The Balakirev Islamey really has to be heard to be believed--other great modern versions by Gavrilov and Berezovsky pale by comparison.

This extraordinary live recital more than anything confirms Pletnev's position as one of the truly greatest living pianists. The only drawback is that the CD makes you envy those lucky souls who had the opportunity of being there on site. Luckily enough, DG's recording is a worthy second best.

Glenn Gould on Acid. .......2006-12-16

My whole review is in the title.

--E. R. O'Neill

A first - rate pianist!.......2006-07-13

The sumptuous and refined style of Michael Plentev confirms the accurate security Sviatoslav Richter kept in mind at the moment he accepted to become his musical mentor. The time, the supreme judge and the great audiences around the world have fortunately verified this initial statement.

Plentev is without discussion, one of the major pianists in the actual musical stages. His prodigious technique has worked out under expression' s service, and the result is absolutely gratifying. He has captured the essential musical roots around the whole pianist repertoire, and being such young artist we eventually will have to wait for future major achievements.

When you listen him, you should realize his outcome precedes form that inner vision conferred by the touch of genius.

Lots of flash....Too much, in fact.......2004-08-18

To say that Pletnev reminds me of the flamboyant pianists of the past would be a slight to the flamboyant pianists of the past. Even though they were not being kosher to the score, there was something about them that held interest. Pletnev often doesn't even do that. These are very superficial, shallow performances.

Things start off very encouraging, with a stupendous Bach-Busoni Chaconne. At this point I was ready to give the album five stars. Pletnev thunders, he turns his piano into an organ, he turns in one intense reading. Ah, I thought, we are going to be in for a treat.

But that's the high point. His next work is very different and calls for a very different approach, and he treats it largely the same. He adds his own razzle-dazzle to Beethoven's Op. 111 rather than take the trouble to find the depth *in* the music itself. Now, I'm not a pedant (at least I don't think so!) but these departures add no insights are just make a hash of Beethoven's own extremely powerful ideas. Pletnev plays piano where it is not written, freely adds sfumatos, ignores and adds accents at will, twists and turns the structure--to no advantage I can see other than to say "I'm here, pay attention to ME!" But most damningly of all, he doesn't hold the Arietta together to my ears, failing to find a common thread for the various variations that unify this enigmatic work. The second movement felt very long, and when, say, I listen to Schnabel (1933) in this music, I have no sense how much time has gone by. Lest anyone think I am too conservative, let me say that two of my favorite Op. 111s are Ernest Levy and Anatol Ugorski! The Chopin is just as bad, with too much fussiness in the ornamental details that has little to do with Chopin's piece and a lot to do with Pletnev's fingers. If you ever wondered what Chopin sounded like as played by Liszt on bipolar meds, this is it. The music's own shapes, momentums and moods are ignored so that Mikkey can plow through the notes as fast as humanly possible. (And that he can do.)

The encores don't excite me as much as they do some other reviewers. Want to hear really stunning Rachmaninoff Etudes-Tableauxes (if that's a word), listen to Sviatoslav Richter--he finds fireworks *inside* the score, not by juxtaposing his ideas over it. The reviewer below who said the better the music, the worse the performances, hit the nail right on the head. That's also how I've felt about his conducting, from what I've sampled: lots of sound and fury, signifying nothing. I'm perplexed that this was among Amazon's "Best of 2001." Maybe 2001 wasn't a good year.

The better the music, the worse he plays it........2002-12-15

If you buy these cds, buy them for the opening selection (Busoni's arrangement of Bach's Chaconne) and the encores, which are stunning in their brilliance and color. Busoni's awesome vulgarity is perfectly matched by Pletnev's showy pianism. The encores, "Islamey" in particular, display jaw-dropping virtuosity (performed live yet!) The problem is what comes in between--real music, that is. Pletnev seems less at home here. The opening movement of Beethoven's great Op 111 sonata sounds more skittish than powerful. Pletnev is simply unable to sustain his slow initial tempo for the main theme of the second movement, keeps impatiently speeding up, then reminding himself of his original tempo. He seems a bit more comfortable when he can speed up for the second variation, but the jazzy third variation is strangely cumbersome. As for the rest of the movement, I found it bland, Pletnev seemingly more interested in creating pretty sounds than penetrating the heart of this serene, chilling music. Give me Schnabel or Solomon any day of the week. The Chopin scherzi are even worse, with Pletnev constantly disrupting the flow of the music with self-conscious gimmicks. There's something almost cynical about all of these performances. The concert must have been a very exciting event (and the recorded sound is excellent). But I don't think the playing on these cds will sustain the test of time. For Pletnev fans (and I've been one of them), I highly recommend his magnificent cds of Scarlatti. He's perfectly cast in that music. Here he just sounds slick.

Steinway Legends: Grand Edition/Various (Box)

Average customer rating:

What results do you get when you mix Decca, Philips, Deutsche Grammophone, and Steinway????.....I'd call them GRAND!!
Steinway Ledgends

Steinway Legends: Grand Edition/Various (Box)

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Complete Works (170 CD Box Set)

ASIN: B000ICLSWO
Release Date: 2006-10-24

Tracks:

Sonata for Piano no 17 in D minor, Op. 31 no 2 "Tempest" by Ludwig van Beethoven. Performer: Hélène Grimaud (Piano)
Andante spianato et Grand polonaise brillante in E flat major, Op. 22 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Yundi Li (Piano)
Hungarian Rhapsodies (19) for Piano, S 244: no 2 in C sharp minor by Franz Liszt. Performer: Lang Lang (Piano)
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659 by Johann Sebastian Bach. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Valses oubliées (4) for Piano, S 215: no 1 in F sharp major by Franz Liszt. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 13 in B flat major, K 333 (315c) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Moments musicaux (6) for Piano, D 780/Op. 94: no 3 in F minor by Franz Schubert. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Consolations (6) for Piano, S 172: no 3 in D flat major, Lento placido by Franz Liszt. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Polonaise for Piano in A flat major, B 147/Op. 53 "Heroic" by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Mazurkas (4) for Piano, B 77/Op. 17: no 4 in A minor by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Scherzo for Piano no 1 in B minor, B 65/Op. 20 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Schwanengesang (Schubert), S 560: no 7, Ständchen "Leise flehen" by Franz Liszt. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Impromptu for Piano in F sharp major, S 191 "Nocturne" by Franz Liszt. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Etudes (15) de virtuosité, Op. 72 "Per aspera ad astra": no 6 in F major by Moritz Moszkowski. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Characteristic Pieces (8), Op. 36: no 6, Etincelles by Moritz Moszkowski. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Military Marches (3) for Piano 4 hands, D 733/Op. 51: no 1 in D major by Franz Schubert. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Rondo for Piano no 1 in D major, K 485 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Impromptus (4) for Piano, D 935/Op. 142: no 3 in B flat major by Franz Schubert. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Impromptus (4) for Piano, D 899/Op. 90: no 4 in A flat major by Franz Schubert. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Kreisleriana, Op. 16 by Robert Schumann. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Pieces (3) for Piano, Op. 2: no 1, Etude in C sharp minor by Alexander Scriabin. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 8: no 12 in D sharp minor by Alexander Scriabin. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Preludes (13) for Piano, Op. 32: no 5 in G major, Moderato by Sergei Rachmaninov. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Preludes (13) for Piano, Op. 32: no 12 in G sharp minor, Allegro by Sergei Rachmaninov. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Lachtäubchen (Behr) "Polka de W.R." by Sergei Rachmaninov. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Sonata for Harpsichord in E major, K 380/L 23 by Domenico Scarlatti. Performer: Vladimir Horowitz (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 no 2 "Moonlight" by Ludwig van Beethoven. Performer: Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Rondo for Piano no 3 in A minor, K 511 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performer: Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Allegretto for Piano in C minor, D 915 by Franz Schubert. Performer: Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Sonata for Piano in B minor, S 178 by Franz Liszt. Performer: Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Oriental Fantasy for Piano, Op. 18 "Islamey" by Mily Balakirev. Performer: Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Impromptu for Piano no 1 in A flat major, B 110/Op. 29 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Impromptu for Piano no 2 in F sharp major, B 129/Op. 36 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Impromptu for Piano no 3 in G flat major, b 149/Op. 51 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Impromptu for Piano no 4 in C sharp minor, B 87/Op. 66 "Fantaisie-Impromptu" by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26 by Robert Schumann. Performer: Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Variations (15) and Fugue for Piano in E flat major, Op. 35 "Eroica" by Ludwig van Beethoven. Performer: Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 21 in C major, Op. 53 "Waldstein" by Ludwig van
Symphonic Etudes for Piano, Op. 13 by Robert Schumann. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Pétrouchka: Three movements for Piano by Igor Stravinsky. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Variations for Piano, Op. 27 by Anton von Webern. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Arabeske for Piano in C major, Op. 18 by Robert Schumann. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Berceuse for Piano in D flat major, B 154/Op. 57 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 25: no 1 in A flat major by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 25: no 7 in C sharp minor by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 25: no 9 in G flat major by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 25: no 10 in B minor by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 25: no 11 in A minor by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 25: no 12 in C minor by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Sonata for Piano in B minor, S 178 by Franz Liszt. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Book 2: no 9, Pour les notes répétées by Claude Debussy. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Book 2: no 10, Pour les sonorités opposées by Claude Debussy. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Book 2: no 11, Pour les arpèges composées by Claude Debussy. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Book 2: no 12, Pour les accords by Claude Debussy. Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Sonata for 2 Pianos in D major, K 448 (375a) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Prelude for Piano in C sharp minor, B 141/Op. 45 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Scherzo for Piano no 4 in E major, B 148/Op. 54 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Mazurkas (3) for Piano, B 157/Op. 59: no 2 in A flat major by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Dumka for Piano in C minor, Op. 59 "Russian rustic scene" by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 5 in F sharp major, Op. 53 by Alexander Scriabin. Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Etudes-tableaux (9) for Piano, Op. 39: no 1 in C minor by Sergei Rachmaninov. Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Etudes-tableaux (9) for Piano, Op. 39: no 2 in A minor by Sergei Rachmaninov. Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Etudes-tableaux (9) for Piano, Op. 39: no 5 in E flat minor by Sergei Rachmaninov. Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 30 in E major, Op. 109 by Ludwig van Beethoven. Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Sonata for Piano in D major, D 850/Op. 53 "Gasteiner" by Franz Schubert. Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Pieces (10) for Piano from "Romeo and Juliet", Op. 75: no 10, Romeo and
Pieces (10) for Piano from "Romeo and Juliet", Op. 75: no 5, Masks by Sergei Prokofiev. Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Prelude and Fugue in G sharp minor, Op. 29 by Sergei Taneyev. Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Rondo for Piano no 3 in A minor, K 511 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performer: Mitsuko Uchida (Piano)
Fantasia for Piano in D minor, K 397 (385g) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performer: Mitsuko Uchida (Piano)
Impromptus (4) for Piano, D 899/Op. 90: no 4 in A flat major by Franz Schubert. Performer: Mitsuko Uchida (Piano)
Variations (32) for Piano in C minor on an Original Theme, WoO 80 by Ludwig van Beethoven. Performer: Mitsuko Uchida (Piano)
Kreisleriana, Op. 16 by Robert Schumann. Performer: Mitsuko Uchida (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Book 2: no 11, Pour les arpèges composées by Claude Debussy. Performer: Mitsuko Uchida (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Book 2: no 10, Pour les sonorités opposées by Claude Debussy. Performer: Mitsuko Uchida (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Book 2: no 9, Pour les notes répétées by Claude Debussy. Performer: Mitsuko Uchida (Piano)
Etudes (12) for Piano, Book 2: no 8, Pour les agréments by Claude Debussy. Performer: Mitsuko Uchida (Piano)
Sonata for Piano, Op. 1 by Alban Berg. Performer: Mitsuko Uchida (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 18 in D major, K 576 "Hunt" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performer: Mitsuko Uchida (Piano)
Sonata for Piano in C major, D 840 "Reliquie" by Franz Schubert. Performer: Mitsuko Uchida (Piano)
Sonata for Harpsichord in C minor, K 11/L 352 by Domenico Scarlatti. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Sonata for Harpsichord in A major, K 322/L 483 by Domenico Scarlatti. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Sonata for Harpsichord in C major, K 159/L 104 by Domenico Scarlatti. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 4 in E flat major, Op. 7 by Ludwig van Beethoven. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Ballades (4) for Piano, Op. 10: no 1 in D minor "Edward" by Johannes Brahms. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Images for Piano, Set 1: no 1, Reflets dans l'eau by Claude Debussy. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Images for Piano, Set 2: no 2, Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fût by Claude Debussy. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Images for Piano, Set 2: no 3, Poissons d'or by Claude Debussy. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Children's Corner by Claude Debussy. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Ballade for Piano no 1 in G minor, B 66/Op. 23 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Scherzo for Piano no 2 in B flat minor/D flat major, B 111/Op. 31 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Mazurkas (4) for Piano, B 115/Op. 33: no 4 in B minor by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Prelude for Piano in C sharp minor, B 141/Op. 45 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26 by Robert Schumann. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Sonata for Piano in A minor, D 537/Op. 164 by Franz Schubert. Performer: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Piano)
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147: Jesu bleibet meine Freude "Jesu, joy of man's desiring" by Johann Sebastian Bach. Performer: Wilhelm Kempff (Piano)
Fantasy for Piano in C minor, K 475 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performer: Wilhelm Kempff (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 26 in E flat major, Op. 81a "Les Adieux" by Ludwig van Beethoven. Performer: Wilhelm Kempff (Piano)
Pieces (3) for Piano, D 946 by Franz Schubert. Performer: Wilhelm Kempff (Piano)
Nocturnes (3) for Piano, B 54/Op. 9: no 3 in B major by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Wilhelm Kempff (Piano)
Impromptu for Piano no 3 in G flat major, b 149/Op. 51 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Wilhelm Kempff (Piano)
Kinderszenen, Op. 15 by Robert Schumann. Performer: Wilhelm Kempff (Piano)
Scherzo for Piano in E flat minor, Op. 4 by Johannes Brahms. Performer: Wilhelm Kempff (Piano)
Pieces (4) for Piano, Op. 119 by Johannes Brahms. Performer: Wilhelm Kempff (Piano)
Legends of St Francis (2), S 354 by Franz Liszt. Performer: Wilhelm Kempff (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 8 in C minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique" by Ludwig van Beethoven. Performer: Wilhelm Kempff (Piano)
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140: Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme by Johann Sebastian Bach. Performer: Wilhelm Kempff (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 18 in E flat major, Op. 31 no 3 by Ludwig van Beethoven. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Fantasy for Piano 4 hands in F minor, D 940/Op. 103 by Franz Schubert. Performer: Elena Gilels (Piano), Emil Gilels (Piano)
Sonata for Piano in G minor, Op. 22 by Nikolai Medtner. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Ballades (4) for Piano, Op. 10: no 1 in D minor "Edward" by Johannes Brahms. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Ballades (4) for Piano, Op. 10: no 2 in D major by Johannes Brahms. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Fantasia for Piano in D minor, K 397 (385g) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 3 in B minor, B 155/Op. 58 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Lyric Pieces (8), Book 2, Op. 38: no 1, Berceuse by Edvard Grieg. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Lyric Pieces (6), Book 3, Op. 43: no 1, Butterfly by Edvard Grieg. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Lyric Pieces (7), Book 4, Op. 47: no 2, Albumblatt by Edvard Grieg. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Lyric Pieces (7), Book 4, Op. 47: no 4, Halling by Edvard Grieg. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Lyric Pieces (6), Book 5, Op. 54: no 4, Notturno by Edvard Grieg. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Lyric Pieces (6), Book 9, Op. 68: no 2, Grandmother's Minuet by Edvard Grieg. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Lyric Pieces (6), Book 9, Op. 68: no 3, At Your Feet by Edvard Grieg. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Lyric Pieces (7), Book 10, Op. 71: no 1, Once upon a Time by Edvard Grieg. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Lyric Pieces (7), Book 10, Op. 71: no 3, Puck by Edvard Grieg. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 3 in B flat major, K 281 (189f) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performer: Emil Gilels (Piano)
Toccata in C minor, BWV 911 by Johann Sebastian Bach. Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 2 in G minor, Op. 22 by Robert Schumann. Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Rhapsodies (2) for Piano, Op. 79 by Johannes Brahms. Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Hungarian Themes and Rhapsodies (21) for Piano, S 242: no 6 in G minor, Lento by Franz Liszt. Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Sonata for Piano in B minor, S 178 by Franz Liszt. Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Prelude for Piano in C sharp minor, B 141/Op. 45 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Barcarolle for Piano in F sharp major, B 158/Op. 60 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Scherzo for Piano no 3 in C sharp minor, B 125/Op. 39 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Prelude for Piano in A flat major, B 86 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Jeux d'eau by Maurice Ravel. Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Gaspard de la nuit by Maurice Ravel. Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Toccata for Piano in D minor, Op. 11 by Sergei Prokofiev. Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Symphonic Dances, Op. 45: no 1, Non allegro by Sergei Rachmaninov. Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Andante spianato et Grand polonaise brillante in E flat major, Op. 22 by Frédéric Chopin. Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, BWV 903 by Johann Sebastian Bach. Performer: Alfred Brendel (Piano)
Sonata for Keyboard no 60 in C major, H 16 no 50 by Franz Joseph Haydn. Performer: Alfred Brendel (Piano)
Fantasia for Piano in C minor, K 396 (385f) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performer: Alfred Brendel (Piano)
Pieces (3) for Piano, D 946: no 2 in E flat major by Franz Schubert. Performer: Alfred Brendel (Piano)
Nuages gris for Piano, S 199 by Franz Liszt. Performer: Alfred Brendel (Piano)
Nocturne for Piano, S 207 "En rêve" by Franz Liszt. Performer: Alfred Brendel (Piano)
R. W. - Venezia, S 201 by Franz Liszt. Performer: Alfred Brendel (Piano)
Années de pèlerinage, deuxième année, S 161 "Italie": no 7, Après une lecture du Dante by Franz Liszt. Performer: Alfred Brendel (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 23 in F minor, Op. 57 "Appassionata" by Ludwig van Beethoven. Performer: Alfred Brendel (Piano)
Bagatelle for Piano in A minor, WoO 59 "Für Elise" by Ludwig van Beethoven. Performer: Alfred Brendel (Piano)
Phantasiestücke (8) for Piano, Op. 12 by Robert Schumann. Performer: Alfred Brendel (Piano)
Sonata for Piano no 10 in C major, K 330 (300h) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performer: Alfred Brendel (Piano)

Album Description

THE STEINWAY LEGENDS GRAND EDITION Steinway & Sons, for over 150 years the maker of the world's finest pianos and the symbol of quality and excellence to generations, joins forces with Universal Classics, home to history's greatest pianists on the Deutsche Grammophon, Decca and Philips labels, to present the Steinway Legends Grand Edition, an impressive box that holds all 10 Steinway Legends packages in the series in a unique "Steinway Series D" Piano Box. Boxed set includes the complete Steinway Legends series on 20 compact discs (that's 301 tracks!) plus a special bonus CD. Each title features "spot-on" repertoire choices of legendary pianists that have strong associations with Steinway & Sons, along with informative notes and unique packaging. Each album includes two long-playing CDs housed in high gloss black digipacks with Steinway & Sons logo & iconography embossed in gold brass on the cover--just like on the real Steinway piano! Bonus CD--Steinway Legends in the Making--features three great pianists from the current generation of Steinway artists--HÃ¨lÃ©ne Grimaud, Yundi Li and Lang Lang. Only available as part of the Grand Edition boxed set. Souvenir Photo Album--Boxed set includes a big (10˝ x 6˝), full color 40-page booklet that offers a rare glimpse into the world of Steinway & Sons - chock full of rare photos, unique memorabilia, autograph reproductions and testimonials all from the personal archive of Steinway & Sons and more! Packaging--CDs and booklet housed in a beautiful reproduction of a Steinway Series D Grand Piano--with incredible detail--including full keyboard, working piano lid and sweeping body that is the unmistakable look of a Steinway. Grand Edition includes these great titles: Steinway Legends Martha Argerich, Steinway Legends Claudio Arrau, Steinway Legends Vladimir Ashkenazy, Steinway Legends Alfred Brendel, Steinway Legends Emil Gilels, Steinway Legends Vladimir Horowitz, Steinway Legends Wilhelm Kempff, Steinway Legends Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Steinway Legends Maurizio Pollini, Steinway Legends Mitsuko Uchida, and Steinway Legends in the Making.

Customer Reviews:

What results do you get when you mix Decca, Philips, Deutsche Grammophone, and Steinway????.....I'd call them GRAND!!.......2007-04-16

Yes, GRAND, indeed is the word for this spectacular collection of solo piano recordings by the creme-de-la-creme of Decca's, Deutsche Grammophone's, and Philips' vaults.........AWESOME by ALL measure!

Two discs each, in individual deluxe folders, from the archives of Decca, DGG, and Philips........featuring Claudio Arrau, Mitsuko Uchida, Vladimir Horowitz, Maurizio Pollini, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Emil Gilels, Martha Argerich, Wilhelm Kempff, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, and Alfred Brendel........what a list, huh?

And, Wait!.....It gets Better!!! Included on each individual collection are rare, long out of print, recordings....the best of each artist's familiar recordings, and....unknown, never-released recordings.....could it get any better than this???

YES! A bonus disc of "Steinway Legends in the Making".......featuring the incredibly gifted artists Lang Lang, Helene Grimaud, and Yundi Li....how great it is to hear these young artists against their towering predecessors of keyboard artistry.

Also included is a forty page deluxe book with tons of photos and memorabilia from Steinway. Remember, all these pianists were solid, dedicated, Steinway artists, and would not play anything else.

While the presentation of these recordings simply could never match or meet the level of the performances themselves (lucky us that they were recorded and preserved so we may hear them again and again, just as fresh and wonderful as the first time), the package IS pretty darned AWESOME!!! The whole collection, book included, fits inside a perfectly proportioned Steinway Piano shaped box, complete with opening lid and support to hold it up, revealing the frame and strings below, which also lifts up to reveal the booklet and individual folders and discs beneath. The entire "piano" itself slips into an oversized slipcase.

What a unique and beautiful set this truly is. Sadly, it was released as a deluxe set in very few numbers. But, luckily, the individual two disc sets by each artist are available separately, so at least the recordings are available still to those who want them.***

Luckily, I knew about this collection many many months before it's limited release and had pre-ordered my set (very happy bear, indeed). It's a joy just to look at this set, and also to know that these "performances" are here in my home for me to enjoy over and over again and again.

To my knowledge, I am unaware of individual companies working together before (Decca, DGG, Philips, and Steinway in this case) to present this type of collection as a "unified" set, and we truly are very lucky beneficiaries of this wonderful partnership of these companies.

My only "complaint"......the outer slipcase that the "piano box" slides into is made of a very inferior weight of paperboard to support such a heavy presentation as this, and is so flimsy that it will not stand up to much use before it simply disintigrates. Sort of too bad, as the rest of the set/presentation is so first rate...shame on you folks...I can't think of anybody who would not have paid a few dollars more for a suitable slipcase for this beautiful set. ~operabruin

***June 22, 2007...I just found out that this set is now, once again, available! Do yourself a favor, and get a copy NOW, before it is gone again! I just found it on another site [classical only online seller], and when I came back here to amazon to make this notation, I also see that they have it in stock again!!! What a stroke of luck for those of you who want this set. Trust me, it is just beautiful, and one of the most unique items you have ever seen! ~operabruin

Steinway Ledgends.......2007-03-09

The quality of the pianos and recording is breath taking says my friend, a professional tuner and former buyer of American & European pianos . And I was just stunned by the playing of these masters...the Liszt pieces of Kempff were were a revelation as was Gilels, and the supreme Horowitz..What is astounding to me is the presence of the piano ( played with a moderately good system only); it is as if they were there in the room.

Average customer rating:

Gripping music and monumental interpretations
Ouch!!!
One of the most vitally played recordings I own...
Virtuoso Performance

Boris Berezovsky

Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Liszt: Transcendental Studies
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Rachmaninov: Preludes, Moments musicaux

ASIN: B000000SP2
Release Date: 1996-05-07

Tracks:

Night On The Bare Mountain: Allegro feroce
Etudes - Tableaux Op. 39: Allegro molto op. 39, No. 3
Etudes - Tableaux Op. 39: Allegro assai op. 39, No. 4
Etudes - Tableaux Op. 39: Lento op. 39, No. 7
Etudes - Tableaux Op. 39: Allegro moderato op. 39, No. 9
Preludes: Moderato op. 57, No. 1
Preludes: Allegretto op. 40, No. 2
Preludes: Allegro impetuoso op. 39, No. 4
Fairy Tales: Allegro cantabile e leggiero op. 34, No. 2
Fairy Tales: Allegro con espressione op. 20, No. 1
Fairy Tales: Allegretto tenebroso op. 34, No. 3
Romantic Sketches For The Young: Tale (scherzo) op. 54, II, No. 2 - Allegro vivace
Fairy Tales: Allegro molto vivace op. 51, No. 1
Islamey: Presto con fuoco

Customer Reviews:

Gripping music and monumental interpretations.......2007-03-06

Boris Berezovsky is truly a great artist. In addition to being a robust virtuoso, he has a great knack for plunging the depths of these pieces and expressing more than the composer even had in mind. Those who are familiar with Berezovsky's Liszt TE renditions, which left me disappointed myself, I must implore you to forget his failures there and witness the milestone he has recorded here. Look at the line up: Mussorgsky-Tchernov's Night on Bald Mountain, the most colossal of Rachmaninov's Op. 39, some rarities from Liadov and Medtner, and as a marvelous finale, the indefatigable Islamey fantasy.

Tchernov's transcription of Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain is one of the most satisfying piano arrangements I've heard in a long time. The piano is completely indomitable here, leaving the orchestral version behind. Berezovsky's wicked fingers accomplish unbelievable feats: he evokes the sinister shades of tone, the eerie tremolos and still achieves technical perfection in the fiendish virtuoso passagework. His passion is only matched by his pianistic tactic of drawing as much power and sonority from the piano as possible. The most tragic revelation on this disc is that Berezovsky didn't record Rachmaninov's entire Etudes-Tableaux. I believe he has produced the greatest interpretations of these pieces. That Russian fervor, melancholy and wild abandon is completely in him. Each Etude-Tableaux is treated with the utmost degree of musical feeling. Consider these his glorious testaments: his tempo and ignited passions in No. 3; his muscular and dynamic rendition of No. 9; his procurement of the pathos in No. 7, and the clarity of the labyrinthine No. 4. Ashkenazy and Shelley are somehow lackluster after hearing these full-blooded executions from Berezovsky.

Anatoly Liadov (1855-1914) was a new discovery for me. I hadn't heard any of his music before this and I'm quite impressed. From the fragile Chopinesque beauty of the Moderato and Allegretto, to the rousing Lisztian flare of the Allegro impetuoso, what a sensational trio of gems this is. Not only is this music quite engaging, but Berezovsky showcases a flexibility in mood and a skill with pianissimo nuance that wasn't able to show its face until now. Continuing on, the Medtner pieces featured here are masterful miniatures of complexity and gorgeous melody. I'm not that familiar with Medtner at all, so it was a delightful surprise once I heard these fascinatingly original works. I'm sure Berezovsky is in his prime here, even though I haven't other interpretations for comparison. He manages a crisp articulation and tasteful bravura in the Allegro cantabile and Allegro con expressione. In the Allegretto tenebroso, he establishes a meticulous conception and technically superb delivery, making for a mind-blowing expedition of music.

Lastly, Berezovsky tackles Balakirev's Islamey fantasy, one of those war-horses that is either overplayed to the point of dense cacophony, or is underplayed by a pianist incapable or afraid of flinging himself through the demanding sections. Berezovsky easily accepts the virtuosic challenge while striving also to evince the passionate music that is sometimes buried beneath the swirls of notes.

Bottom line: This is a precious recording with both old war-horses played to perfection and new gems illustrated with the utmost musicality. Berezovsky's inexhaustible virtuosity and potency of phrasing has to be heard to be believed. Unfortunately, Amazon no longer sells this, so I would recommend getting it used while it's still available.

Ouch!!!.......2004-06-26

This is the sort of musicianship that reaches out a slaps you in the face!!! Berezovsky not only shreds the keys, he also finds that happy medium that needs to exist between taste and virtuosity. His charisma never gets in the way of the music and he provides a sense of spontaneity desperately needed to keep the listener involved. The sound quality is very good indeed. The engineers obviously give the instrument a rather forward balance; however this is a rather complimentary approach for this type of repertoire.

One of the most vitally played recordings I own..........2000-01-17

This recording by Berezovsky is arguably his very best, which is saying something. As the First Prize winner of the Tchaikovsky Competition of 1990, his talent is a given, but sometimes he seems to breeze through pieces without the kind of fire that is a trademark of Russian pianists--in particular his recording of the Liszt Transcendental Etudes, while technically solid, lacks the kind of oomph and pizazz that befits the composer and the music.

The music in this program, however, seems to ignite Berezovsky's passions, perhaps since the composers are all fellow Russians. The Night on Bare Mountain has the kind of epic scope, if not the length, of the Liszt B Minor Sonata, and Berezovsky does full justice to the little tinkering trills as well as the quadruple forte chord passages, both tender and merciless at a whim. In his playing on some other discs it sometimes seems as if Berezovsky has a "soft" left hand, that is, that he cannot generate the kind of bass that, say Richter or Gilels managed regularly. Here we find that it is within his grasp to conjure some real thunder--although it is still fairly clear that his right hand is much stronger than his left.

What makes this a particularly attractive buy is the inclusion of the relatively rare Liadov and Medtner pieces, lively and evocative shorts which are played with such conviction that one wonders why these composers aren't more popular. Apparently, Berezovsky has a particular interest in Medtner--according to liner notes, he organized a festival of Medtner's piano music in Moscow, 1995.

The final encore piece, Balakirev's Islamey, is notoriously difficult, and I have heard no one play it better, or for that matter as well as Berezovsky (this includes Pogorelich and Bronfman). It has been a specialty of his since he was at least sixteen, and having completely mastered the technical aspects he is free to concentrate on expression. In fact, when I hear him play this piece I am never aware of technique or get any sense of effort,which would distract from my appreciation of the music. All in all, a disc with no weak spots. Highly recommended. It's a pity that some of this pianist's best recordings are out-of-print or scarce. If you can find them, I also recommend his recording of Ravel's piano music as well as his disc of the Rachmaninoff 3rd concerto and selected preludes--there is a budget re-issue of the concerto, but it is coupled with a recording of the 2nd with a different pianist and doesn't include the preludes...oh, and FYI, in his Rach 3 he plays the version with the heavy chordal solo section in the first movement.

Virtuoso Performance.......1999-02-12

Berezovsky simultaneously shows off his astounding talent and moves listeners with his sheer brilliance and performance. Pay special attention to Mily Balakirev's Islamey. I promise you, you will not fail to gasp at the touching interpretation and virtuoso in which Balakirev plays.

Rachmaninov: Sonata No. 2; Balakirev: Islamey

Average customer rating:

A Superlative Musician
What a Delight, that Olga Kern!

Rachmaninov: Sonata No. 2; Balakirev: Islamey

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
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Olga Kern: 11th Van Cliburn Int'l Piano Competition 1
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Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1; Francesca da Rimini
The Cliburn - Playing on the Edge

ASIN: B0006TN8E0
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

I. Allegretto Agitato
II. Non Allegro
III. L'Istesso Tempo-Allegro Molto
I. Elegie
II. Prelude
III. Melodie
IV. Polichinelle
V. Serenade
Polka De V.R.
I. Prelude
II. Fugue
Prelude In D-Flat Major, Op.57 No.1
The Musical Snuff Box, Op.32
In The Garden
Islamey (Oriental Fantasy)

Amazon.com

This is a fascinating, unusual collection of Russian piano music. Kern, a gold medal winner at the 2001 Cliburn Competition, mixes familiar music with novelties in an intelligently programmed recital. We get Rachmaninov's over-familiar Prelude in C Sharp Minor in the context of the otherwise unfamiliar Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3, of which it is the second piece. Balakirev's notorious fingerbuster Islamey is preceded by his rarely-heard In the Garden. Most unusually, Kern includes the Prelude and Fugue in G Sharp Minor by Sergei Taneyev, pupil of Tchaikovsky and teacher of Rachmaninov, considered one of Russia's most important composers by Russians and mostly unknown elsewhere. Kern's playing is colorful, fluent, and convincing throughout most of the recital, and she makes Rachmaninov's Second Piano Sonata less bombastic and more attractive than usual. She rather falls apart in Islamey, though, introducing strange pauses at the ends of phrases and generally showing the strain of the murderous writing. Up to that point, the disc has more than an hour of excellent playing, and thus it's still very much worth hearing. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

A Superlative Musician.......2007-06-20

The pantheon of brilliant women keybord artists is large: preserved for us are extraordinary performances by Dame Myra Hess, Ruth Slencynska, Wanda Landowska, Gina Bachauer, Alicia de Larrocha, Lili Kraus, Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, and now the fiery Russian Olga Kern. For a treat, find (or Netflix) the 2001 Van Cliburn DVD, "Playing on the Edge," and see her show a tattered copy of Rachmaninoff music that has been in her family for decades. Her Mom, she says with a smile,"could not live without music." Olga wins a gold medal with a passionate performance of Rachmaninoff's Concerto No. 3. Since then New Yorkers and others around the world have warmed to her. Her CD "Rachmaninov/Balakirev" features Sergei's iconic Sonata No. 2. She is fearless at the piano, capable of high drama but also the utmost delicacy. Her playing of Rachmaninoff's haunting "Elegie" in E Flat Minor (finger food--six flats!) is alone worth the price of the CD, which includes works by Taneyev, Liadov and Balakirev. Conjecture: if Glenn Gould could rightly be considered the "son" of Bach, surely Olga is the "daughter" of Rachmaninoff. And we who love music are the beneficiaries of their towering genius.
Beverly Crandall

What a Delight, that Olga Kern!.......2005-11-22

This has to be a favorite of mine. I'm a pianist for the joy of playing and listening, with profound respect for the passionate and without the critical ear that seens to spoil listening to live performances for some people. I love this recording, probably because I have watched the DVD "Playing on the Edge" so many times. And every time, as she finishes her winning performance in the Cliburn Competition, I have to stand in my living room and applaud her!

Balakirev: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2; Piano Concerto, Op. 1; King Lear Overture; In Bohemia; Tamara

Average customer rating:

An Appealing Balakirev Package from Chandos

Balakirev: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2; Piano Concerto, Op. 1; King Lear Overture; In Bohemia; Tamara

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000BLI366
Release Date: 2005-11-22

Tracks:

I. Largo/Allegro Vivo/Alla Breve/Piu Animato
II. Scherzo. Vivo/Poco Meno Mosso/Tempo I/Coda. L'istesso Tempo
III. Andante
IV. Finale. Allegro Moderato/L'istesso Tempo/L'istesso Tempo/Tempo Di Polacca
Overture To King Lear
In Bohemia: Larghetto/Allegro Moderato/Allegretto/Larghetto/Allegro Moderato (Come Sopra)/Poco Piu Animato/Presto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo/Poco Piu Animato
II. Scherzo All Cosacca. Allegro Non Troppo, Ma Con Fuoco Ed Energico/L'istesso Tempo. Theme Russe
III. Romanza. Andante
IV. Finale. Tempo Di Polacca/L'istesso Tempo/Poco Piu Mosso/Coda. L'istesso Tempo
Allegro/Moderato/Maestoso/Risoluto/Meno Mosso. Piu Moderato/Tempo I. Piu Mosso/Meno Mosso/Cadenza/Tempo I. Piu Mosso/Meno Mosso
Tamara

Customer Reviews:

An Appealing Balakirev Package from Chandos.......2005-12-14

A deal, this is, as far as I'm concerned. It comes into direct competition with a similar, two-fer-one deal from Hyperion featuring Evgeny Sventlanov and the Philharmonia Orchestra. The pairing is a bit different, though both offer the two symphonies, of course, and Balakirev's orchestral masterpiece, "Tamara." While Svetlanov gives us two overtures on Russian themes, Vassily Sinaisky gives us "In Bohemia," scored similarly to "Tamara" but more lighthearted and focused more on melody than on color, plus the Piano Concerto No. 1, here sounding somewhat more convincing than on another Hyperion recording with Malcolm Binns. While there is probably not much to choose between Binns and Chandos's house pianist Howard Shelley, Sinaisky gives the orchestral accompaniment more character, and the recording on Chandos is better as well. A curiosity in the Sinaisky set is Balakirev's "Overture 'King Lear.'" It starts out with a regal fanfare recalling the "Procession of the Nobles" from Rimsky's Mlada but then follows the sad course of Lear's story. For a work entirely absent from concert halls, it's pretty effective, worth an occasional hearing.

That leaves the two most important works, the symphonies. Some reviewers have found Sinaisky's interpretations uninvolved and uninvolving. Perhaps this is true compared to recordings I've not heard, for which I apologize. However, next to the Svetlanov First, which I have heard, Sinaisky's holds its own handily, having maybe a bit more atavism and rugged grandeur about it. Chandos's recording, too, is slightly finer, with just that much more heft and maybe a tad better stereo placement. The Second Symphony isn't as commanding as the First--as important a work in the history of Russian music as, say, Borodin's well-loved Second. But Balakirev's Second has its points, too, and its gentler, more refined way is captured well by Sinaisky and his orchestra. Again, the sound is top of the line.

So perhaps you could come up with more hard-hitting performances by shopping around, but to find all this interesting music in one package, well performed and stunningly recorded, is a deal-maker for me.

Scharwenka: Piano Concerto No. 1; Paderewski: Piano Concerto; Balakirev: Reminiscences of "A Life for the Czar"

Average customer rating:

ROUSING!
The paderewski concerto is wild!

Scharwenka: Piano Concerto No. 1; Paderewski: Piano Concerto; Balakirev: Reminiscences of "A Life for the Czar"

Manufacturer: Elan
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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