Bernd Glemser, Antoni Wit - Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-3, Andante and Finale, Op. 79 (1996)

This Naxos CD was recorded in March 1995 in the Concert Hall in Katowice and contains a very good performance of that old warhorse, Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor, Op.23. Countless recordings of this work have been made down the years, from Rubinstein with Barbirolli in 1932 Brahms: Piano Concerto 2; Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto 1, Martha Argerich with Kondrashin Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.3 / Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1, the controversial Pogorelich and Abbado Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1, so why try this one?

Well, the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra sound just great thanks to the producer Günter Appenheimer and, particularly, conductor Antoni Wit. Pianist Bernd Glemser has plenty of fire when needed coupled with delicacy as appropriate. It's a really good performance.

The disc also contains the single movement Piano Concerto No.3 in E flat major, Op.79, a piece with a very checkered history. Naxos has included the Andante & Finale, Op.79, which was orchestrated by Taneyev, thus giving us a three-movement version of this less well-known work. Again, the recording is first-rate and although Glemser can be a little too smooth from time-to-time, it's another winning performance.

The CD comes with good notes from Ates Orga and, bearing in mind its minimal cost, comes highly recommended.