I love it when recordings exceed expectations

[Todd]

I'll confess to not being a big fan of Rachmaninoff.  I enjoy a few works, and among the piano concertos I do have a soft spot for the second, and generally the mushier the reading, the happier I am.  But every once in a while I try something new.  This time it was the complete works for piano and orchestra with a young Zoltan Kocsis at the piano, paired with Edo de Waart and the San Francisco symphony in a cycle from the first half of the 80s.  I've known about this cycle for years, of course, and now I'm wondering why I didn't get around to it before.  It's easily my favorite set of these works.

For me the magic all comes from the hands of Kocsis.  He approaches these works in an unabashedly virtuosic fashion, and that's what makes everything sound so extraordinary.  Dazzling, scintillating, dizzying, sparkling, transcendent: however one wants to describe the playing, it's accurate.  In each piece he plays with such ease and flair and energy as to make every other version of every work seem a bit soporific.  Okay, okay, maybe the Second isn't reduced to a pile of sonic mush like I like, but here that's okay!  The first, well, it dazzles.  Hell, even the Fourth, long a concerto I haven't cared about at all, comes off amazingly well.  But for me the real treat is the Third.  For the most part, I just plain old don't like this piece.  And this is with some of the biggest names at the keyboard and leading the orchestra.  The work is all flash and no substance, a vacuous crowd pleaser.  Well, Kocsis really delivers.  No, he can't make this a truly profound work, but his extremely fast, light, limber playing, with de Waart and company doing their best to keep up, makes the work more fun, more energetic, and more pleasing than normal.  But Kocsis is more than fast and agile.  He's incredibly sensitive, too.  His playing, even when blazing fast, displays a tonal variety and dynamic sensitivity that is much more than impressive.  It's almost super-human. 

I wasn't really surprised that I liked this set as much as I did.  The reissued Kocsis Rachmaninoff recital from a couple years ago was an ear opener, so I had high expectations for this set.  Said expectations were stomped on.  Only somewhat dull and veiled early digital sound hamper an otherwise staggering set.  Now, keep in mind that I'm a relative Rachmaninoff newbie, not having heard more than maybe ten or so versions of any of the works.  That written, I'd be surprised if ever I hear a better set.  One of my purchases of the year.







For years I've been relying on James Conlon's excellent rendition of Alexander von Zemlinsky's fine Lyric Symphony, with Soile Isokoski and Bo Skovhus the singers.  Conlon recorded quite a bit of Zemlinsky for EMI, all of it very good or better – his recording of Der Traumgörge is sublime, for instance – but surely such fine music deserves multiple interpretations.  Well, a few years back, Christoph Eschenbach recorded the work with the estimable pair of Matthias Goerne and Christine Schäfer, along with the Orchestre de Paris, for Capriccio.  I've dillied and dallied, but now I've heard the recording, and it's a doozy. 

First of all let me confess that I adore Ms Schäfer.  She's the reason I wanted this recording.  So it's not surprising that I love her singing on this recording.  It's beautiful and works well in the sumptuous setting.  Perhaps Isokoski can belt out the tunes more forcefully, but I'll take Ms Schäfer.  She's just so easy to listen to.  Matthias Goerne also does an extremely fine job.  His tone is rich and his delivery strong and nuanced.  He definitely beats out Mr Skovhus for me.  In terms of orchestral playing, both bands are about even, and in terms of conducting both Conlon and Eschenbach offer compelling visions.  Eschenbach's is the lusher of the two, which really works well with this composer, though Conlon's more precise, it seems.  Call it a draw. 

Sound is a mixed bag in both cases.  For Conlon there is a hard edge at time.  For Eschenbach the balance is off.  Through speakers the orchestra is too distant and the voices too prominent, and there is a bit of a veil.  Through headphones everything is better balanced.  Pity, because such a large work deserves a large presentation.  Anyway, taken as a whole, this is an extraordinary recording and one that more than lives up to my expectations.

[DarkAngel]

The Zoltan Kocsis piano concertos also included in this super budget 5CD set along with a CD of Kocsis Rachmaninov sonata and preludes....tremendous bargain

[mc ukrneal]

The Zoltan Kocsis piano concertos also included in this super budget 5CD set along with a CD of Kocsis Rachmaninov sonata and preludes....tremendous bargain

His solo works are even better than the concertos in my opinion.

[mahler10th]

Wow Todd, what a write up and how frustrating for my near blown wallet  .  I really must look it out.

[SonicMan46]

Todd - thanks for your usual superb & thorough review of the Rach piano works w/ Kocsis - I have a number of other recordings by him and enjoy.

At the moment, I'm listening to a recent purchase of the same Rach works w/ Earl Wild, recorded back in the mid-1960s w/ Jascha Horenstein & the Royal PO - not sure what to expect, but since Wild's recent death, I've picked up a number of his CDs (Chopin Nocturnes & Transcriptions - the latter a Grammy winner) - these Rach performances are quite impressive (I have 2 other versions) - just curious if you or others may have heard this 2-CD set - the sound is just fabulous from this era (Chandos remastered) - Dave 

[dirkronk]

At the moment, I'm listening to a recent purchase of the same Rach works w/ Earl Wild, recorded back in the mid-1960s w/ Jascha Horenstein & the Royal PO - not sure what to expect, but since Wild's recent death, I've picked up a number of his CDs (Chopin Nocturnes & Transcriptions - the latter a Grammy winner) - these Rach performances are quite impressive (I have 2 other versions) - just curious if you or others may have heard this 2-CD set - the sound is just fabulous from this era (Chandos remastered) - Dave 

I have the Wild/Horenstein in its original Readers Digest box set of LPs...and I personally find it to have the best sonics in that form. Reason for the good sound: it was a classic RPO recording by the renowned Gerhardt/Wilkinson team. (One odd thing for LP collectors to be aware of: the earliest stereo versions say "Dynagroove" on the label but suffer from virtually none of the "nasties" that format was known for.)

I once had the set on Quintessence vinyl (good but not great transfers, with bass response limited and rather dicey surfaces) and also have some of the items (the Pag Rhapsody & PC#2) on Chesky vinyl...closer to the RD set in clarity and much cleaner than the Quintessence. I also owned most of the set on individual-issue British RCA Gold Seal vinyl pressings, which were better than the Quintessence in transfers and surfaces, but not quite as good as the Chesky. On CD, I have a copy of the Chandos but have been told that the Chesky is preferable.

In any format, it remains my reference set even after several decades. Byron Janis, Argerich and (in PC#4) Michelangeli are names that come to mind first for alternative renditions.

But, all that said, I shall undoubtedly now purchase the Kocsis. I recall when the performances first came out on vinyl and, IIRC, most or all were in early digital, which I had come to expect to deliver steely, teeth-grinding sonics, even from many Philips records, so I avoided them even though I already liked Kocsis quite a bit from his Hungaraton recordings. I assume that no such sonic problems actually exist now (if they ever did) and Todd's description certainly makes me want to hear what ol' Zoltan does for myself.

ADDENDUM: A glance at an old Penguin guide tells me I was mistaken...at least the PC#1 & 4 were apparently analog. Now I'm wondering about the rest of the cycle. In any event, I'll still be looking for the set.

FWIW,

Dirk

[SonicMan46]

Dirk - thanks for your excellent & thorough comments! 

I really like the Earl Wild recordings, but will likely also acquired the Kocsis - own him in a number of other well-respected discs.  Dave 

[DavidRoss]

Kocsis with the SFS is a terrific set, but not really surprising since it's been a standard recommendation of critics for many years.  The recent Rachmaninoff recording that really surprised me in a very satisfying way is Bronfman with Salonen/Philharmonia performing the Rach 2 & 3.  Sizzling, and dirt cheap in Sony's Essential Classics re-release.  (Note, they even spell Rachmaninoff with the ff!)

[Dancing Divertimentian]

(Note, they even spell Rachmaninoff with the ff!)

Yes, "exceeding expectations" and all that.

[DavidRoss]

Yes, "exceeding expectations" and all that.

BTW, Don, the other day I was playing some of the earlier Mozart PCs from the Schiff/Vegh set you recommended so highly a few years ago.  That's a recording that continues to exceed expectations--thanks!

[Dancing Divertimentian]

BTW, Don, the other day I was playing some of the earlier Mozart PCs from the Schiff/Vegh set you recommended so highly a few years ago.  That's a recording that continues to exceed expectations--thanks!

Just noticed this - a belated thanks and glad you like it, Dave.

[Todd]

I was happy to learn that Jean-Efflam Bavouzet has undertaken a Haydn sonata cycle.  While I do enjoy Ronald Brautigam in this music, I long for a fine, modern piano cycle.  John McCabe's has had to suffice to this point, and while there's much to enjoy in his set, other pianists are better.  Count Bavouzet among them.

I've owned and enjoyed his early recording of four sonatas and the Fantasia in C on Harmonic Records for a while, so I had high expectations coming to this new Chandos disc.  Mr Bavouzet exceeds them.  Truth to tell there isn't a huge amount of difference in his approach now versus the early 90s, but there are some differences.  For one, he includes all repeats, resulting in significantly longer times for sonatas 31 and 39.  His approach is also a tad livelier than before.  As in the earlier recording, he plays with a light, elegant touch, and his tone is as attractive as one could want.  So he takes everything that worked well to begin with, and adds more of what makes the music even better.  Throw in superb sound, and this surpasses high expectations.  It's up there in Kuerti, Say, and Kocsis territory, and better than Hamelin, himself no mean interpreter here.  I hope I don't have to wait too long for the second volume.

[Josquin des Prez]

Istvan Kertesz's Brahms is freaking amazing. Its out of print right now but i managed to snatch a recording of the first symphony, and i was blown away. Alas, i can't seem able to find the rest of the set anywhere on the internet, and the price some people are charging for a used copy is pretty steep. Indeed, it would be kinda nice if any of you old chaps could sort of you, you know, upload the damn thing. Yes? No? Ok.

Another great recording that surprised me recently is the Suske Quartet playing Beethoven. I only have the Opus18 right now, which is phenomenal. I hope the rest of the set is just as good.

[Mandryka]

People here and elsewhere have been more impressed by Herbert Schuch than me. True enough, the record of Mirrois is very nice , but I am not sure that all  the rest that I have heard is quite up to that high standard.

So I was very surprised when I heard a concert performance of Chopin's Funeral March sonata -- very exciting pianism which had me gripped to my seat. And well worth downloading from this site which specialises in concert bootlegs:

http://ceolnasidhe.blogspot.com/search/label/Herbert%20Schuch

Certainly, on the basis of this Chopin sonata and his Mirrors, if Schuch came to London I would go to hear him.

P.S. By the way, while you are at the site, be sure to check out the Bezuidenhout/Herrewghe Mozart concertos!

[Lethevich]

Istvan Kertesz's Brahms is freaking amazing. Its out of print right now but i managed to snatch a recording of the first symphony, and i was blown away. Alas, i can't seem able to find the rest of the set anywhere on the internet, and the price some people are charging for a used copy is pretty steep. Indeed, it would be kinda nice if any of you old chaps could sort of you, you know, upload the damn thing. Yes? No? Ok.

http://avaxhome.ws/music/classical/Brahms_Symphonies_Nos_2_3_and_4_Kertesz.html

http://avaxhome.ws/music/classical/Brahms_Symphonies_No_1Kertesz.html

The original links are still up so I don't need to reupload, whee (Edit: I just realised that may imply the original links were mine - they're not).