REVIEWS: As pianist as well as conductor, Vladimir Ashkenazy has had a love affair with fellow Russian Rachmaninov for more than half a century. Ashkenazy’s...

REVIEWS:

As pianist as well as conductor, Vladimir Ashkenazy has had a love affair with fellow Russian Rachmaninov for more than half a century. Ashkenazy’s authority is one attraction of this performance of Symphony No 1, as he knows how to shape detail and soar in the big melodic moments. The Philharmonia sound is muscular and alert, from the opening woodwind solos to the mighty, stirring symphonic tutti of the finale.

– Guardian (UK)

Symphony No.1 is great piece, jam-packed with personality (with leanings to Tchaikovsky), the music—often powerful—exudes thrills, beauties, much atmosphere and stirring pomp. Vladimir Ashkenazy, as a pianist and a conductor, is a veteran Rachmaninov interpreter and here brings his experience and devotion to bear on every bar, the Philharmonia Orchestra (with which Ashkenazy has a time-honoured association, forty and more years) fully responsive. The first movement is shot-through with much excitement and lyrical passion, the second is spectral and wistful, the third introspective and heart-touching, and the Finale (the ceremonial opening of which used to be the music for BBCTV’s Panorama) is an exhilarating roller-coaster journey until the music descends to Hell, something very graphically realised here.

– ClassicalSource.com