Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos 1-4, Paganini Rhapsody, Etc. [Box Set]

Disc 1
1	Piano Concerto No. 1 in F
2	Piano Concerto No. 1 in F
3	Piano Concerto No. 1 in F
4	Piano Concerto No. 3 in D
5	Piano Concerto No. 3 in D
6	Piano Concerto No. 3 in D
Disc 2
1	Piano Concerto No. 2 in C
2	Piano Concerto No. 2 in C
3	Piano Concerto No. 2 in C
4	Piano Concerto No. 4 in G
5	Piano Concerto No. 4 in G
6	Piano Concerto No. 4 in G
Disc 3
1	Rhapsody on a theme of Pa
2	Rhapsody on a theme of Pa
3	Rhapsody on a theme of Pa
4	Rhapsody on a theme of Pa
5	Rhapsody on a theme of Pa
6	Rhapsody on a theme of Pa
7	Rhapsody on a theme of Pa
8	Rhapsody on a theme of Pa
9	Rhapsody on a theme of Pa
10	Rhapsody on a theme of Pa
11	Rhapsody on a theme of Pa
12	Rhapsody on a theme of Pa
13	Variations on a theme of
14	Variations on a theme of
15	Variations on a theme of
16	Variations on a theme of
17	Variations on a theme of
18	Variations on a theme of
19	Variations on a theme of
20	Variations on a theme of
21	Variations on a theme of
22	Variations on a theme of
23	Variations on a theme of
24	Variations on a theme of
25	Variations on a theme of
26	Variations on a theme of
27	Variations on a theme of
28	Variations on a theme of
29	Variations on a theme of
30	Variations on a theme of
31	Variations on a theme of
32	Variations on a theme of
33	Variations on a theme of
34	Variations on a theme of
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos 1-4, Paganini Rhapsody, Etc. [Box Set]
1.	Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor, Op. 1 26:49
	Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
	Performed by City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Nikolai Lugansky
	Conducted by Sakari Oramo
2.	Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 41:07
	Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
	Performed by City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Nikolai Lugansky
	Conducted by Sakari Oramo
3.	Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 33:47
	Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
	Performed by City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Nikolai Lugansky
4.	Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Op. 40 26:10
	Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
	Performed by City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Nikolai Lugansky
5.	Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Introduction and 24 Variations), in A minor for piano & orchestra, Op. 43 23:30
	Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
	Performed by City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Nikolai Lugansky
	Conducted by Sakari Oramo
6.	Variations on a Theme of Corelli, for piano, Op. 42 19:31
	Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
	Performed by Nikolai Lugansky
7.	Variations on a Theme of Chopin, for piano, Op. 22 30:17
	Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
	Performed by Nikolai Lugansky

All Music Guide

Strongly virtuosic, warmly expressive, and brilliantly colorful, Nikolai Lugansky's performances of Rachmaninov's "Four Piano Concertos" plus his "Paganini Rhapsody" and "Chopin" and "Corelli Variations" are fine as far as they go. But they go no further than virtuosic, expressive, and colorful. As brilliant as his playing is -- and Lugansky sails through the hardest passages of the hardest pages of the hardest fin de siècle Russian piano composer's music with the greatest of ease -- as expressive as his playing is -- and Lugansky understands every accent, every dynamic, and every phrase marking with complete sympathy -- and as colorful as his playing is -- and Lugansky illuminates every shade from pensive blue to passionate red in Rachmaninov's piano writing -- Lugansky's playing doesn't say much about the content of the music, and why, aside from the fact that it's virtuosic, expressive, and colorful, it should be performed. The musical depth and emotional power of Rachmaninov's concertos are missing here, and what remains, while extremely impressive technically, is musically and emotionally disappointing. Sakari Oramo and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra provide Lugansky with polished and professional accompaniments and Warner Classics provides him with smooth and clear sound. James Leonard