Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No.3, etc.

The REAL 'Ultimate Rach 3'

Evgeny Kissin is another one of the great young musical virtuosos of today that go terribly over-looked. He plays with both finesse and fire, and interprets the music in a divine way. This recording of the Rach 3 is a beautiful example of Kissin's mastery of his instrument, the composer's overall style, and the work itself.

I compare this recording with that of Martha Argerich's over-rated recording of the same concerto, which I stick my tongue out at, so to speak, in the title of this review. My problem with Argerich's recording is her numerous amount of mistakes throughout the piece, as she tries to break the world record for speed. She fails at this, because it still is not as fast as Rachmaninoff played the piece, so all-in-all, her try is a lost cause (I go in to better detail on my review of that CD, which can be found on the Amazon.com page).

Kissin's Rach 3 has gone under scrutiny because of his tempi, both in the first and third movements. I don't see why this is such a bad thing, because with the slower tempo, he can actually play every note that was meant to be played, and can be clearly heard. Yes, his first movement is about 3 minutes longer than Argerich's, but honestly, the listener must be patient, because though Kissin takes longer to say what Argerich blurts out, you can finally understand the piece, and hear it for what truly lies beneath the notes on the page.

Do not let this reviewer fool you, however, Kissin can really fly when he gets going. The only reason that his interpetation is longer is because he takes the first theme slower than usual, and keeps that same tempo every time it comes back. And if listeners would just disregard how many minutes it takes for Who to do What, they won't even notice that Kissin's is slower.

He also incorporates the highly-neglected alternate cadenza in his recording, which is much longer than the one that most other pianists use (eg., Argerich or Ashkenazy). This cadenza (often referred to as the 'Ossia Cadenza') is so much better than the other. It builds for a long time, using huge runs, and giant chords, which captivate the listener, and will literally make you jump out of your chair with excitement. Then, after a little while, the main theme is presented yet again in the most glorious and grandiose way, with massive chords, jumping all around the keyboard. It truly is incredible, and I will never know how he can do it. After listening to this cadenza, the listener will wonder, as I do, why any pianist who can master this monster of a piece would actually choose to play something as lifeless, and somewhat laughable, as the other one.

The second movement is full of passion and will tear the listener's heart right out, as it should, and when the time is right, switches to playful and skittery, until slowing down again to the end. Kissin does this perfectly. Then, out of nowhere, a giant build-up, commanded by the piano, and with a few tutti chords, the whirlwind of the third movement begins, and is a literal race to the end. The coda is down-right gorgeous, and I get chills every time I hear it. When the piece finally blasts its last few notes, the audience erupts at once, which will definitely wake up the listener, and remind them that this is a LIVE recording. Rarely does one find a live recording this spectacular.

Finally, I would remiss if I did not mention the Boston Symphony Orchestra, under Seiji Ozawa's baton. Never will you find a moment where they are at all separated from one another (Unlike Argerich and Chailly with the RIAS Symphony, where they are often not together). The Boston Symphony flows beautifully with Kissin, and compliments him exceptionally well.

This is one of my favorite pieces of music, and I have studied the score immensely, so yes, I actually do know what I'm talking about, and this IS the absolute best recording I have found so far. It is definitely on top of the stack of Rach 3's I have piling up, and I think it will stay there for quite some time.

Bravo, Kissin. Bravo!!! August 16, 2008

Absolutely wonderful! And all other superlatives!

I love this piece, and after having heard Kissin's performance, don't think I will ever need to hear another. I agree Argerich is marvellous, and Horowitz amazing, but this just left me in a puddle of tears. Also found first movement unusually slow, but beautiful and I liked it, and the finale was sheer magic. The kind of performance where I want to rush out into the strett, grab passers-by and say "come hear this!". Orchestra magnificent too. All in all, a great recording and a superb performance. November 16, 2007

Beuatifull & Sensitive Performance, Orchestra Sounds Great

I was at the Shostakovich wing at Rhapsody and hit the play button for Symphony 8 and for some strange reason this concerto started playing. The info provided said merely that it was Rachmaninoff's 3rd piano concerto and did not give artist or orchestra info. This was my first time hearing this concerto so I am no expert, but I enjoyed it greatly! I have heard Kissin's performance of Tchaikovsky's first with Karajan and this concerto is quite a bit different. It is more beautiful and serene and a little moody at times and far less the emotional rollercoster that is Tchaikovsky's first PC. The Orchestra sounds beautiful too! The strings sound sooo sweet. I was enthralled enough by the playing that I wanted more info so I bipped over to Amazon. Kissin is well known for his play of Chopin and he brings a Chopin-esque touch to this concerto. Having heard his Tchaikovsky performance, I know he can bring down the house too when the music calls for it.

The piece, Vocalise, that follows the concerto is well suited to the mood of the concerto. Prelude 2 is a bit more spirited. Though this is a short piece, it is a real hoot. All the music on this disk highlight Rachmaninoff as a 19th century Romantic rather than a 20th century modernist. March 15, 2007

Good performance ....but not extraordinary

I'm a big fan of Martha Argerich's Rach 3, and am, perhaps yet to come across a recording which surpasses her monumental 1982/w Chailly recording. Kissin here does pretty well, though I personally do not appreciate the slower tempi chosen by him..it just doesen't seem to harmonise with his own individuality as observed in his other recordings. Maybe his teacher had an (over)influence in this interpretation.
However, this recording has got arguably the best last 3 minutes or so ...the orchestra work by Ozawa is simply phenomenal and the ecstatic heights to which the coda is pulled and lured into is truly mesmerising. That was the only bit the slow tempo seemed to fit really well !
In all, its a good performance, but there are many better ones. December 28, 2005

An Amazing Performance of Rach 3

I must confess, the first time I heard Evgeny Kissin's interpretation of this formidable concerto, I was left disappointed. At the time, Martha Argerich's recording was the best in my mind. Like many of the reviewers here, I felt Kissin's performance was painfully slow at the opening of the first movement, and especially so in the opening of the third. After hearing several versions of this concerto, I know longer consider Argerich's to be the best (It's still up there, though). Rather, I have learned to appreciate the more poetic version Kissin presents. Don't let other reviewers fool you; there are still plenty of fireworks in this recording. Kissin's performance of the cadenza in the first movement is astounding, huge sound and very passionate. The whole second movement has a great, sweeping sound, with perfect phrasing. And the third is flashy, but with a slower tempo. This solemn recording is exactly how Rachmaninoff envisioned it. Other great recordings of this concerto are by Mikhail Pletnev and Olga Kern (STAY AWAY FROM THE RECORDINGS BY LANG LANG AND DAVID HELFGOTT). September 6, 2005

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