Customer Reviews

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1/Grieg: Piano Concerto In A/Liszt: Piano Concerto No.1

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I recently attended Santiago Rodriguez's performance of the Grieg Piano Concerto at the Endless Mountain Summer Festival in Wellsboro, PA. (conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser). The performance was outstanding and I immediately purchased his Tchaikovsky, Grieg and Liszt Piano Concerto cd after the concert. In both performances the artistry and originality of Mr. Rodriguez combine to bring a breath of fresh air to this popular concerto.

For an encore, Mr. Rodriguez performed his arrangement of Cavatina from "The Deer Hunter." The performance was magical and the audience was spellbound. At the end of the piece, not only was the audience on its feet but they were also in tears. I was pleasantly surprised to find this selection on the "Piano in Hollywood" Cd. There are many wonderful selections on this cd but the entire price of the cd is worth it for this one piece.

Excellent rendition of the Grieg. Perfect rhythm and phrasing. Maintains a fresh excitment throughout. The other best recording of the Grieg is Fleisher/Szell, but I have not seen that available on CD. For the Tchaikovsky, I prefer Gilels/Mehta CD.

I find myself unable to enjoy this interpretation of the Tchaikovsky and the Grieg due to the accelerated tempos the artist has chosen. If you are looking for a less traditional rendering, this might be for you.

Three classic, well-played and well-recorded concert by a world-class performer. What's not to like?