I think this Gary Graffman piano / NYPO Bernstein release was my first ever recording of Rachmaninoff's second piano concerto. Maybe it was bundled with the next LP player I saved up money to get, way back when In any case this reading is so mainstream it begs to become another fav shelf item. Gary Graffman's resonant physicality is brimming over with the good energy Rachmaninoff's music so frequently needs. Some may hear the reading as too generic, my ears hear it as bravely left free of special effects that fail to work out as all three movements unfold. Bernstein probably accoompanied lots of pianists in his long career, but he made recordings only with Philippe Entremont, Rudolf Serkin, Gary Graffman, Andre Watts, Glenn Gould, Alexis Weissenberg .... that is to say, soloists who caught Bernstein's ear as way above average In any case, the golden age stereo sound is cleaned up and the background is utterly silent. A good balance was caught between orchestra with piano. The frequently standard coupling with Rachmaninoff's Paganini Rhapsody is missing ... but mabe it will show up some day on HIDTT. So now, is aural-musical excellence becoming so constant here that we dim to the sense of wonder Hopefully not ... Bravo, and Thanks !
