Bernd Glemser - Rachmaninov: Variations on a theme of Corelli, Piano Sonata No. 2 (2006)

Although Bernd Glemser is known for his Rachmaninov playing -- he performed the composer's Third Piano Concerto with the Philadelphia Orchestra to great acclaim for its 100th anniversary concert -- he's not really a great Rachmaninov player. As this 2006 all-Rachmaninov disc shows, Glemser's textures are too clean, his articulation is too crisp, and his pedaling is too light. This doesn't mean, however, that Glemser is not a great pianist. As this disc also shows, his tone is rich, his colors are brilliant, and his technique is superlative. More to the point, Glemser is a great musician and his interpretations here are outstanding. His Variations on a Theme by Corelli is modernist but still romantic at heart, his Piano Sonata No. 2 is supremely cogent but always moving, and his early Morceaux de Fantaisie -- including the Prélude in C sharp minor -- is expressive and characterful, if not perhaps as emotional as it might be.
That, for some listeners, will be the sticking point. For all Glemser's virtuosity, some might complain that he doesn't lean hard enough into the deep emotions of Rachmaninov's music. Perhaps he doesn't -- but that may itself be the aspect of his playing that makes him most accessible to listeners for whom Rachmaninov's emotionalism has been emphasized at the expense of his musicality. While not for everybody, Glemser's interpretations will be just the thing for listeners who find most Rachmaninov performances just a wee bit too emotional. Oehms' sound is a clear and full, if a tad too dry.