Customer Reviews

Rachmaninov: Complete Solo Piano Music Vol 5 / Ruth Laredo

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I purchased this set for a second time having owned it some years ago in its original format. After listening to it again I began to realise why I sold it all those years ago. The reason being that it is not particularly distinguished playing. Don't get me wrong Laredo's technique is not at fault but you can't help thinking that she is somehow going through the motions and not plunging the depths of emotion that these pieces really need. In its day the set offered a good survey of Rachmaninov's solo piano works at a time when there wasn't a lot of choice in this repertoire. However, today it is not so competitive on anything other than price grounds. Unfortunately, the recorded piano sound is not helpful as its often heavy and lifeless. Also I found the pedal noise on these recordings infuriatingly distracting. While I realise that pedal noise is a factor of piano recordings I found it hard to bear on this set.

Ultimately, it's not a bad survey just not a great one and none of the discs would rank anywhere near first choice (at least for me) in this brilliant music. I have Ashkenazy's solo Rachmaninov Decca recordings as well as recital selections by others such as the wonderful Nikolai Demidenko and Dmitri Alexeev. All of these artists convey this music with much more emotional depth than Ruth Laredo. Having been disappointed with this set I have now invested in Howard Shelley's complete Hyperion survey. I can't say I'm disappointed either, as soon as I listened to the Morceaux de fantaisie on the first disc I realised that I'd made the right choice. So to conclude, I can't recommend Laredo even on the grounds of low cost. Even in today's austere economic times it would be best to save your pennies for something more heavenly like Shelley's set.

Ms. Laredo has recorded the complete works of Rachmaninov's solo music. She plays with great beauty and power. I haven't found it necessary to replace these recordings, the sound is great and the price is right. What are you waiting for?

I have not heard Laredo's Etudes Tableaux, but Mr. A's blanket comment that a number of other 'classic' versions of this wonderful music are "boring" and lack technique must not go unchallenged. Where, I must wonder, do Mr. A's sensibilities lie? I have the Fergus-Thompson, Hobson and Shelley versions of this music and I find Mr Shelley's performance by far the best of the lot. To suggest that *his* technique needs work is both pompous and patently absurd. And to find Shelley's fiery playing "boring" suggests a profound level of ennui in the listener.