Byron Janis - Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 1/ Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3

180g Vinyl - Available Once Again!

Pianist Byron Janis and the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Kyril Kondrashin perform piano concertos by Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff.

Vinyl lovers like those from Speakers Corner can lament about how difficult it can be to dig up audio treasures and enhance them to make them as fresh and new. A good mastertape and precise cutting is of prime importance, of course. But a collector's heart will also miss a beat when taking a look at the original cover. Record dealers know this only too well and demand a high price for rare original recordings, as though they were dealing in gold. The rarer the recording, the more expensive it comes. In order to close the gap between the demand for coveted LPs and the potential for speculation with such productions, Speakers corner are re-releasing a number of first-class recordings by Mercury and Decca. All the titles appeared in their catalogue but were sold out years ago.

Janis's true genius shows itself in the fresh and fiery keyboard magic in Prokoviev's Piano Concerto no. 3 and his highly sensitive personal style in Rachmaninoff's First Piano Concerto.

In contrast to his tremendously popular Second and Third Piano Concertos, Rachmaninoff’s First could be likened to a rare orchid in that it is seldom found on a concert programme. Why is that? Is it that it lacks the sweet sultriness of the later works? Or could it be that no one is aware of the 17-year-old composer’s talents? Or can he be accused of walking in Tchaikovsky’s harmonic footsteps? This recording has an answer to all these questions. In spite of reaching back to such genial examples as Schumann, Beethoven and Grieg, Rachmaninoff reveals his own personality in his early work. The thematic ideas are extremely impressive, they are developed skillfully, and are treated to such a masterly orchestration that one is tempted to dub this work “The Underestimated”.

Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto was spared such a fate. Its folk like character, coupled with amazing virtuosity, guarantee that the work remains immensely popular – but it also places the highest demands upon the performers. It remains a matter of speculation as to whether the presence of the American recording team spurred on the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra and the pianist Byron Janis to newer and greater heights, such as are heard here.

Features:
• 180g Virgin Vinyl
• High Quality Pressing
• Pure Analogue Audiophile Mastering

Musicians:
Byron Janis, piano
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra
Kyril Kondrashin, conductor

Selections:
Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)
1. Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, op. 26

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
2. Piano Concerto No. 1 in F Sharp Minor, op. 1