What is most unfortunate about the Chandos reissues of this legendary set
is that in order to get the five works for piano and orchestra on two CDs,
the amazing Horenstein performance of "Isle of the Dead" is not included.

This was the only time he ever conducted the piece.  Amazing luck for us
all that it happened, I think.

It can however, be found on a Chesky CD, coupled with the Second Piano
Concerto and some solo pieces (not Rachmaninoff, as I recall) played by
Wild.

Potential purchasers should be forewarned that the second and third
movements of the Third Concerto are cut, at the pianist's request--this
must be among the last recordings to perpetuate this bad old
tradition--with all due respect to Rachmaninoff's own practice in this
regard--and that they were this way on the Reader's Digest LPs.

I can't recall if these are the same cuts as Rachmaninoff made in his
recording with Ormandy.  I've personally had at least two different sets
of cuts in the Third Concerto and two or three sets for the Second Symphony
represented to me as "authentic", and frankly, could care less.  I'm one of
those people who takes the exposition repeat in the first movement of the
Second Symphony, loves every minute of it and prays that the audience does
to.  So far, so good.

Best wishes-

Joel Lazar
Conductor, Bethesda MD
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