About this Artist

• Biography

Editorial Reviews

Sergei Rachmaninov recorded only about 10 CDs worth of music, transferred from 78 r.p.m. records, which can be found in an indispensable set on RCA. But the great Russian pianist left behind a more elusive treasure, too: a pile of piano rolls, from which numerous technicians have tried to extract decent results. Most of those efforts have failed -- until now. Using computer technology and a Bösendorfer Reproducing Piano, Wayne Stahnke -- a music-loving mathematician and inventor -- has finally figured out a way to make these rolls come to life. While these performances might lack the extra spark that's magically conveyed by those scratchy old 78s, Stahnke's realizations allow us to experience Rachmaninov's fabulous fingerwork in state-of-the-art sound. An earlier volume gave us Rachmaninov playing his own music. This new installment offers a varied selection of 16 short pieces by other composers, from the buoyant "Grande valse brilliante" of Chopin to a sweeping, sweetly-rendered sarabande by Bach. The pianism is staggering. In almost every piece there's something breathtaking -- some run, roulade, or inspired bit of phrasing that bears Rachmaninov's unmistakable imprint. Those who shy away from Rachmaninov's historic recordings because of their inferior sonic quality can now rejoice. A WINDOW IN TIME lets us appreciate Rachmaninov's playing as if he were alive today. Andrew Farach-Colton, Barnes & Noble

Customer Reviews

• Listener Rating: