Anna Fedorova's live recording of Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto has more than 23 million hits on YouTube. Which makes it probably the most watched classical concert ever. On this CD, Anna Fedorova stands up for Rachmaninov's compelling Piano First Concerto, which is always somewhat in the shadow of the gigantic Nos. 2 & 3. Rachmaninov composed his First Piano Concerto at the age of 18,
… when he was only a student at the Moscow Conservatory. Today we know this concert in the thorough revision of some 26 years later, when the Piano Concerts No. 2 & 3 were also long completed. The CD ends with the masterful Paganini rhapsody. The starting point is Paganini's 24th Capriccio for solo violin, which also inspired Brahms and Lutoslawski. The nostalgic Eighteenth variation in particular is a popular highlight. (HJ)more
