SERGEI RACHMANINOFF

- Piano Sonata No. 2 (original version)
- Preludes (selection)
- Etudes-Tableaux (selection)

ZOLTÁN KOCSIS, piano

CD 446 220-2 DDD
PHILIPS

- The young Rachmaninoff hugely overestimated the technical abilities of the fellow pianists of his time. The Second Sonata has not often been performed due to its enormous technical demands. Not surprisingly, there are only a very few recordings of this 1913 version available.

- Kocsis's performs the most demanding parts of this sonata almost effortless, moreover, he builds up the complicated structure, polyphony and orchestral sound (the piece was originally intended to be a symphony) to the highest level.

- The other pieces, some delightful piano miniatures, also stem from the composer's early period.