William Kapell Edition, Vol. 3: Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini / Shostakovich: 3 Preludes [Original recording remastered]

Sergei Rachmaninoff (Composer), Dimitri Shostakovich (Composer), William Kapell (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: William Kapell
• Composer: Sergei Rachmaninoff, Dimitri Shostakovich
• Audio CD (February 8, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000040JEC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #45,650 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #66 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Preludes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars William Kapell : Unforgetable!, March 10, 2005

By 

Hiram Gomez Pardo (Valencia, Venezuela) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: William Kapell Edition, Vol. 3: Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini / Shostakovich: 3 Preludes (Audio CD)

Rachmaninoff's Second Concert is the most played work of this composer . You can make an impressive account of one hundred performances at least in the last forty years .

But to be true only seven versions deserve to be in the list of the most remarkable, and this is precisely one of them. Kapell made of this performance a farewell concert far beyond of the overindulgence and heartfelt phrase. Kapell never sounded romantic. He was a mature artist and avoided above all the cliches. He won will all the honors a honest and convincing performance without tears, but filled with noblesse.

The real winner performance of this fundamental album is Rachmaninoff's Variations. There has not ever born any pianist previous or later who had got so flammigerous, incandescent, furtive and fierce reading of this work as Kapell did it. Precision, conviction, phrasing, technique, histamina, poetry and rapture are some of the most remarkable adjectives I can find for this recording. Reiner directed admirably too to be honest. And this superb version is a real landmark and believe or not the time not only has elevated this status version, but besides has reached in the present times colossal dimensions. And I would really recommend another three additional performances: another version recently released live by Kapell and under Bernstein's batoon and two recordings by Richter: one from 1955 and the ultra known of 1958 with Stanislav Wisloscki.

Shostakovich;s Preludes are OK, but there's a name in these works: Tatiana Nikolayeva.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars White hot performances, March 15, 2009

By 

Irwin Tallarico "Opera, piano fan" (SF bay area) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: William Kapell Edition, Vol. 3: Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini / Shostakovich: 3 Preludes (Audio CD)

Kapell was a brilliant pianist in the mold of Horowitz. His playing was always exciting, new, fresh and provocative. He and Reiner were in sync and each benefited from the insight of the other.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful performance!, September 5, 2010

By 

T. F. Prince (Parlin, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: William Kapell Edition, Vol. 3: Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini / Shostakovich: 3 Preludes (Audio CD)

William Kapell Edition, Vol. 3: Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini / Shostakovich: 3 Preludes [Original recording remastered]

Chopin, Rachmaninoff are my favorite piano pieces. They were Romantic composers, therefore you really feel this music. It can be heavenly and divine to listen to. And yes, it requires a brain, heart and emotions to enjoy it, and even more soul, I guess, to interpret these works.

I just bought a new CD on Amazon, pianist, William Kapell, who lived from 1922, and was killed in a plane crash Oct. 29, 1953, returning from a tour of Australia. It is mono, but in very good sound, red seal by RCA. It is called William Kapell Edition, Volume three. Rachmaninoff Concerto No 2 in C Minor , also Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, both by Rachmaninoff, and Shotakovich's 3 Preludes. This is a beautiful interpretation of these 3 works. He is accompanied by the Robin Dell Orchestra with Fritz Reiner, conducting. He has other works on CD at Amazon.