Search - Rachmaninoff, Bartok, Eschebach :: Piano Concerto 3 / Piano Concerto 2

Poetic reading

Kenneth J. Luurs | Oak Park, IL USA | 03/27/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I own over 30 performances of the Rach 3. We had a "play off" one Sunday with 3 listeners. This performance was one that made the final 4. That's to say, it is a remarkable performance and recording. He plays with a great deal of sensitivity and while I've not always agreed with everything Barto does, this recording is worth having. I know, everyone says this or that recording is the best -- Argerich and Horowitz to name but two -- but while a couple of Horowitz's performances are "final four" calibre, the recording quality is not quite there. Argerich's performance is enjoyable, she's in the top 10 along with Janis. The Kissin recording was a disappointment -- little thrust in the last movement. Volodos -- great pianist -- but he'll do a better recording next time out. Our favorite Rach 3?? -- Gavrilov -- but neither of his performances are currently available."

Stuck in the mud!

Kenneth J. Luurs | 05/15/2003

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This recording of the Rachmaninoff Third is strange indeed! There are arbitrary tempo choices and fluctuations that seem to make no musical sense, and give little respect to the score. The slow movement, and certain lyrical parts of the first movement are so heavy handed that the momentum simply gets "stuck in the mud!" It seems as though the musical ideas are intellectually conceived and not felt emotionally, as if to say, "let's play this passage really slow, because no one else has played it that way before." In my view, that's boring music making at its worse! No comment on the Bartok (which, contrary to layman's opinions that are based on a recent movie, is a far more difficult work technically), as it isn't strong enough to recommend buying the recording. However, it's a slightly stronger performance than the Rachmaninoff. My advice, bypass this one..."

Perhaps Barto's signature concerto--fine recording.

A. Rocheleau | Orlando, FL | 12/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I own more than a dozen Rach Thirds-- including the composer's, the three by Horowitz, the Cliburn/Kondrashin, Kissin, and Ashkenazy to name just a few. I've heard this concerto played from all angles and approaches-- part of the reason to listen to more than one recording! This performance, with expressive support by Eschenbach, easily resides near the top. Barto is a sensitive performer who explores the nuances and colors of every score he touches, and he isn't afraid to take chances. He's not a metronome or note-duplicator, as so many pianists of the past few decades have become. As far as I'm concerned, of the current generation of pianists, Barto comes as close to owning the Rach Third as anyone could. This is a great performance."