Yuri Temirkanov conducts Rachmaninov & Rimsky-Korsakov

I'll have to take exception to the two less than stellar reviews of this wonderful classical music disc. Not to brag but I have a very formidable sound system attached to my old Mitsubisi 480 progressive big screen still running strong after many years. The color and detail of this disc are excellent. The sound is fantastic even though it was only transferred using PCM stereo. I own the regular DVD not the Blue Ray. As far as the music is concerned, you really get your money's worth here (150 minutes) with all the great selections/renditions of Rachmaninoff, the last romantic. The Schehrazade is magnificent. While I am not a person who has the knowledge to critique the actual conductor and individual players, I am truly a person who loves classical music. If you're like myself and love Rachmaninoff and Rimsky-Korsakov, do not hesitate to add this wonderful disc to your classical music library. I have no regrets and am very happy to have purchased it. Buy it and enjoy!

This DVD has two of my favorite Russian symphonic pieces. I have CDs of them over 60 years old and just started getting video DVDs. Even though my hearing competes with ringing ears, made worse from even moderately loud sounds, and high frequencies are about gone, I turn up the audio on these and pay the consequences. I think this DVD is great, sound and video. I don't know much about debates on this or that sound processing because I probably couldn't hear the differences, in spite of once being a TV station audio and transmitter engineer.

Very disappointing. Sound is O.K. but not surround---that's bad enough. Playing the opening of the RachmaninoffSymphonic Dances sums it all up in a nutshell: dead acoustics in the hall, strings sound like a High Schoolorchestra, and the bass is charitable described as woeful. A check with the Oue Minnesota version on ReferenceRecordings sounds great---a fair comparison through the same equipment. It discouraging to see the bass pluckedin the video, but not hear anything in the audio. Who decides to issue this stuff?The video is crystal clear, if unimaginative. And the works presented are certainly hard core romantic. TheRimsky-Korsakov fares a little better, but still those bad acoustics. Try the Jansons recordings of almost anythingif you want to know how to get great value for your money (except the Mahler 2nd, there are many defectivecopies out there, including mine, and the "replacement" had the same problem: the last movement stopsabruptly about a minute before the end..)

Very disappointed in fact. This is a Blu-Ray disc, but the sound is in PCM stereo only. Hey, this is 2014... I feel cheated, in particular because it should have been pointed somewhere that this recording is "Stereo Only" before I bought it.The performance is OK, but not the quality of sound I was expecting and I was willing to pay for.

I felt the recording range is a little bit narrow.But I enjoyed it very much. It is recomendable for any persons who wants to enjoy classical music.

In a word, this disk is wonderful !Temirkanov has expressed his great power that makes joyful atmosphere.His tact is wonderful and intetlectual. He is getting more skilfulness and charming.

I bought it because I am a fan of Yuri's conducting. Once again he did a masterful job of his Rachmanioff selection. It is a winner.

magnificent

Fantastic performance !Rachmaninov has to be played with passion. This is my favorite performance of concerto N2. Though a bit imprecise, it is a lot more fun than Lang-Lang performance - perfect but cold and dead. I saw even better performance of concerto N2 by Denis, recorded in Berliner philharmoniker, unfortunately not available on BD.Some people here mentioned lack of 5.1 sound, it is not a big deal, 24bit uncompressed audio always sounded better on a proper audio system. In my opinion surround sound only better if the quality of a system is not so good...Enjoy this masterpiece.

nothing to add

Wonderful from maestro matsuev as ever

まあ、こんな変わったホールを見るのは初めてだ。それもこれも、音源以外に『映像』があるお陰ですな、有難い。例えば、ステージ後ろの中央左にキリスト関係の立体絵画があるのに、右側には硝子窓から車のサーチライトの頻繁な往来がよ〜く見える。だからこれは完全に人工的な巨大な『録音スタジオ』ホールである。従って残響は相当にデッドな響きであり、その分、音の雑味も残さずに出してしまう。また他方では、楽器毎の音の差が非常に解りやすいので、おそらく演奏者にとっては、誠に『恐いホール！』の代表の１つなのではないだろうか（笑）。さて、マツーエフのピアノは初めて聴いた。彼は若い頃一度来日し、地方公演も行なっている。その時、調律を担当したヤマハの調律師が言った言葉が記憶に残っている。師曰く『我々調律師は普段、第一部演奏の後の休憩の時、ピアノのチェックをする。大抵は微調整で済ませるのだが、マツーエフの時はもう背筋が凍った。部分ではなく全体のピッチがドーンと落ちていたから…！』と。その事はこのディスクを聴いて重々納得できる。いやはや凄い打鍵力だ。特に指が強靭なピアニストとしては、エミール·ギレリスのベートーヴェンのピアノ·ソナタ辺りでは慣れていたが、このマツーエフも格別だ。だから今回も調律師は生きた心地がしなかっただろう。まあシュタインウェイでもない限り、普通のヤマハのピアノでもつ筈が無いのだから。多分、スビャトスラフ・リヒテルがお気に入りだった特別仕様のヤマハピアノに違いない。これは車で言えば、極限までカスタマイズした『戦闘車』ということになる。演奏も、聴けばわかるが鳴らし切るラフマニノフ、弾き切るラフマニノフだ。テンポも緩やかな序奏のあと、凄いテンポで立ち上がる。『…おいおい！このテンポで弾き切るのか？』と聞きたくなる。しかし弾き切るのである。だからラフマニノフのピアコンという大曲を捻じ伏せて、完全に自分のものにした演奏だからもう★は５つ差し上げないと仕方がないだろう（笑）。いずれにしても弾きまくり、鳴らしまくりのラフマニノフで皆さんスカッとしましょう。個人的に言わせて貰えば、私の場合はただ一途に『霊性に訴える演奏』『魂を揺さぶる演奏』を求めるので、ルービンシュタインの様には何回も何回もは聴きませんがね…。

brilliant