Listening to CD 3 from "Schumann - Piano Works Vol. 1" performed by Klara Wurtz on Brilliant. Piano Concerto in A minor Op. 54 with the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie directed by Arie van Beck Faschingsschwank Aus Wien Op. 26
Probably not. I will guess the majority of my collection is DG and then followed by Philips. I probably have around 200 Chandos recordings.
It was on sale on Presto’s site the last time I checked. Althought it’s still way out of my budget, (damn you, worthless local currency!) some of you dollar-folks might be interested
Anybody enlighten me as to the best sounding CD issue of Du Pre's Elgar warhorse (with Barbirolli) ? There have been so so many releases !!
Another label that did this was “Regis” on CD. On LPs “Eurodisc” released a lot of Melodiya recordings as well as Columbia and EMI/Angel.
https://www.discogs.com/Rachmaninoff-Vladimir-AshkenazyPhiladelphia-Orchestra-Eugene-Ormandy-Piano-Concerto-No-3/release/5854217 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ashkenazy-Rachmaninoff-Eugene-Ormandy-Concerto/dp/B0108O67IG Info in Jed Distler's review for ClassicsToday: Ashkenazy's Best "Rach 3"? - Classics Today Ashkenazy’s Best “Rach 3”? Review by: Jed Distler Artistic Quality: 10 Sound Quality: 8 Vladimir Ashkenazy was the piano soloist in no less than four studio recordings of Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto. Three came out on Decca, respectively conducted by Anatole Fistoulari (1963), André Previn (1970), and Bernard Haitink (1985). The pianist also set the concerto down in 1975 for RCA, with Eugene Ormandy leading the Philadelphia Orchestra in an expansive and rhetorical reading that differs from Ashkenazy’s leaner, more mercurial 1963 traversal. The Ashkenazy/Ormandy conception is similar to Van Cliburn’s less ideally realized 1958 RCA recording, and improves on the Previn performance with regard to sonics, orchestral detail, and rhythmic backbone. Several examples demonstrate what I mean. As with Previn, Ashkenazy plays the more massive, chord-based first-movement cadenza (under Kondrashin he opted for the lighter alternative), yet achieves a steadier, more assiduous build that leads to a more overwhelming climax. Also, at the start of the second-movement Intermezzo’s Poco più mosso, the solo flute seems to be in another world under Previn’s watch, whereas it emerges in perfectly aligned conversation with the piano and pizzicato strings with Ormandy presiding. Indeed, Ormandy often uncovers and gives specific character to important inner voices and chamber-like passages that many conductors gloss over in deference to the piano. Ashkenazy would make expressive points with more economy in his 1985 Concertgebouw remake under Haitink, yet the Ormandy version boasts the pianistic edge. Sony Classical’s 24-bit remastering has more presence and bloom than in RCA’s earlier, deleted Papillons Series reissue. It’s coupled with the 1961 Philippe Entremont/Ormandy/Philadelphia Rachmaninov Fourth concerto: an excellent choice. In a catalog awash with “Rach 3s” of all shapes and sizes, this third and arguably best of Ashkenazy’s four studio attempts easily ranks among the top echelon.
I am a huge Ashkenazy fan and whenever he plays Rachmaninoff I am fascinated. I had the fortune to see him perform a few times. This recording sounds crystal clear to me. The tempo of the first movement is beautiful and the orchestra seems to embrace him - I wish I could speak with an orchestra member, I am sure it was a memorable experience for everyone. On my modest stereo system this LP sounds very nice but I will have to ask my husband to play it on his more high-end TT and Amps to know more. I actually found a full review for you. Ashkenazy's Best "Rach 3"? - Classics Today Ooops, I did not see @J.A.W. found it already.
