Artist: Vladimir Ashkenazy Title: Rachmaninoff: 24 Preludes Year Of Release: 1976/2022 Label: Decca Music Group Ltd. Genre: Classical Piano Quality: flac lossless (tracks) 24bits - 192.0kHz Total Time: 01:20:41 Total Size: 2.55 gb

Tracklist

1. Rachmaninoff: 5 Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3-2. Prelude in C-Sharp Minor
2. Rachmaninoff: 10 Preludes, Op. 23-No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor (Largo)
3. Rachmaninoff: 10 Preludes, Op. 23-No. 2 in B-Flat Major (Maestoso)
4. Rachmaninoff: 10 Preludes, Op. 23-No. 3 in D Minor (Tempo di minuetto)
5. Rachmaninoff: 10 Preludes, Op. 23-No. 4 in D Major (Andante cantabile)
6. Rachmaninoff: 10 Preludes, Op. 23-No. 5 in G Minor (Alla marcia)
7. Rachmaninoff: 10 Preludes, Op. 23-No. 6 in E-Flat Major (Andante)
8. Rachmaninoff: 10 Preludes, Op. 23-No. 7 in C Minor (Allegro)
9. Rachmaninoff: 10 Preludes, Op. 23-No. 8 in A-Flat Major (Allegro vivace)
10. Rachmaninoff: 10 Preludes, Op. 23-No. 9 in E-Flat Minor (Presto)
11. Rachmaninoff: 10 Preludes, Op. 23-No. 10 in G-Flat Major (Largo)
12. Rachmaninoff: 13 Preludes, Op. 32-No. 1 in C Major (Allegro vivace)
13. Rachmaninoff: 13 Preludes, Op. 32-No. 2 in B-Flat Minor (Allegretto)
14. Rachmaninoff: 13 Preludes, Op. 32-No. 3 in E Major (Allegro vivace)
15. Rachmaninoff: 13 Preludes, Op. 32-No. 4 in E Minor (Allegro con brio)
16. Rachmaninoff: 13 Preludes, Op. 32-No. 5 in G Major (Moderato)
17. Rachmaninoff: 13 Preludes, Op. 32-No. 6 in F Minor (Allegro appassionato)
18. Rachmaninoff: 13 Preludes, Op. 32-No. 7 in F Major (Moderato)
19. Rachmaninoff: 13 Preludes, Op. 32-No. 8 in A Minor (Vivo)
20. Rachmaninoff: 13 Preludes, Op. 32-No. 9 in A Major (Allegro moderato)
21. Rachmaninoff: 13 Preludes, Op. 32-No. 10 in B Minor (Lento)
22. Rachmaninoff: 13 Preludes, Op. 32-No. 11 in B Major (Allegretto)
23. Rachmaninoff: 13 Preludes, Op. 32-No. 12 in G-Sharp Minor (Allegro)
24. Rachmaninoff: 13 Preludes, Op. 32-No. 13 in D-Flat Major (Grave-Allegro-Grave)

The simple fact of the matter is that, compared with all previous releases of Ashkenazy's stupendous 1974-1975 recordings of Rachmaninov's 24 Preludes, this 24-bit remastering is vastly better. Where the original LP release was warm and lush but a tad hazy, and earlier CD releases were warm and lush but a bit hard, this release is warm and lush -- but also clear and bright as polished crystal. Thus, while Ashkenazy's luminous lyricism, soulful sensuality, and blazing virtuosity are as manifest as ever -- and few pianists have ever matched him for these qualities in this repertoire -- what had previously seemed like his unfortunate tendency to overpedal in heavier textures is here shown to be a flaw in earlier releases, not his playing. More significantly, the remastering allows the colors and nuances of Ashkenazy's performances to sound more cleanly and accurately. In the hard-charging B flat major Prelude, the delicately radiant G sharp minor Prelude, even the played-to-death C sharp minor Prelude, Ashkenazy's playing seems much more subtle and dazzling -- which, considering his performances have long been considered among the deepest and strongest ever recorded, is quite an achievement. Everyone who treasures Rachmaninov's music should hear this release -- whether they've heard the earlier releases or not