Andrei Gavrilov, Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti - Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 2 & 3, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (2004)

Crammed with many of Rachmaninov's most popular works, this 2004 compilation from EMI Classics is a fine starter set, superior to most greatest-hits packages. Complete performances of the Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, the Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, and the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini are always preferable to excerpts, and this album presents the works in their entirety. Additionally, the inclusion of 12 solo piano works is generous, and the absence of the notorious Prelude in C sharp minor may be excused, for these pieces are more sophisticated and satisfying. However well this set may serve beginners, aficionados of the concertos may quibble over the performances and compare them with a wide assortment of performances by the greatest pianists. It may be unfair to judge Andrei Gavrilov against legendary performers, but his playing is dynamic, virtuosic, fully accomplished, and quite impressive, if not as daringly fast as Argerich's, as intense as Richter's or as stirring as Rachmaninov's. Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra provide a rich orchestral backing, though they may be faulted for some murkiness in the strings, a heresy among fans of the old Philadelphia sound. These mid-'80s recordings have decent digital sound, though it is not always clear and resonant.