Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2

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. 2 in C
5	Piano Concerto No. 2 in C
6	Piano Concerto No. 2 in C
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
1.	Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor, Op. 1 26:44
	Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
	Conducted by Seiji Ozawa
	Performed by Krystian Zimerman and Boston Symphony Orchestra
2.	Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 35:34
	Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
	Conducted by Seiji Ozawa
	Performed by Krystian Zimerman and Boston Symphony Orchestra

Barnes & Noble

Krystian Zimerman reports in the CD booklet that, before making this recording of Rachmaninoff's First and Second Piano Concertos, he examined the composer's manuscript of the Second Concerto for clues to aid his interpretation and found "pencil marks from Rachmaninoff showing where you should really let go and knock yourself out!" Listen to this recoding, and you'll hear just how much he took those instructions to heart. Zimerman's Rachmaninoff burns with intensity and ardor. The First Concerto, especially, is filled with propulsive force -- just listen to the tempestuous first measures, which Zimerman carries off with remarkable technical assurance. Yet his playing is never merely flashy, and there is genuine tenderness in the lyrical, malleable passages. The more familiar Second Concerto is equally vivid; the opening chords become the ominous clanging of massive bells in Zimerman's hands, and while some details are lost in the slapdash tempo of the finale, the playing crackles with life. Conductor Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony keep up with Zimerman's zeal, producing some beautifully rich sonorities along the way. One of the most gifted pianists of his generation, Zimerman has recorded relatively infrequently (this is his first disc since his 1999 set of Ravel concertos). All the more reason to savor this extraordinary release. EJ Johnson

All Music Guide

Krystian Zimerman is getting better as he gets older. He used to be one of a half-dozen great young pianists, a brilliant virtuoso with tremendous expressivity, enormous soul, and a habit of making even fewer recordings than Argerich or Pollini. Over the years of ever-fewer recordings, he's grown into an astounding virtuoso and the emotional power of his interpretations have grown with his technique. These recordings of Zimerman's performances of Rachmaninov's first two piano concertos with Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1997 and 2000 are transcendentally virtuosic and their emotional impact of his performances is unrivaled in passion and precision. But the most amazing thing about Zimerman's performance is its strength and weight. Zimerman had recorded big performances before -- his Chopin "Ballades" are muscular and his Ravel "Concerto" is monumental -- but Zimerman's Rachmaninov is legendary in its scope and scale. Captured by Deutsche Grammophon's vivid and real sound, Zimerman's "Second" is one of the handful of great recordings and his "First" rivals Rachmaninov's own. James Leonard

New York Times

Mr. Zimerman certainly lets go in these incisive and breathlessly exciting performances. Yet what sets them apart is the lucidity and intelligence of his playing, matched by the orchestra's under Mr. Ozawa.... Mr. Zimerman captures both the youthful sweep and the mature intricacy [of the First Concerto] in a riveting performance.... It's hard to bring freshness to a staple like the Rachmaninoff Second, but Mr. Zimerman's bracing performance is a revelation. Anthony Tommasini

Gramophone

[April 2004 CD of the Month] The catalogue may bulge with recordings of both concertos and yet the verve and poetry of these performances somehow forbid comparison, even at the most exalted level.... Seiji Ozawa and the Boston orchestra are ideal partners and DG's sound and balance are fully worthy of this memorable release. Bryce Morrison

Philadelphia Inquirer

1/2 This performance is perhaps destined to become a Rachmaninoff reference point. David Patrick Stearns

Classic FM Magazine

[April 2004 Disc of the Month] Zimerman's interpretation gives a fresh lift to a well-worn concerto. Oliver Condy