Why is it that you don't read or hear very much about Agustin Anievas? He
has been one of my favorite pianists for the last 30 or 40 years.  In quite
a few works, his performances are my benchmarks.

His debut recording, way back in the '60's was the Brahms Variations
and Fugue on a Theme by Handel and the Paganini Variations.  I recall a NY
Times critic saying that he saw no reason that anyone ever needed to record
the Handel again.  It is *that* good, but unavailable on CD as far as I
know.

One of the first of the few replacement CD's that got was an Encore disk
of the Rachmaninoff 2nd and the Paganini Rhapsody.  I have bought and
listened to many other pianists play these works, but I have given up on
ever finding more satisfying versions.  For me, Anievas is simply the best.
I bought his 2 CD set of the Rachmaninoff works today.  It never hurts to
have a spare.

The American Record Guide, in its March/April 1999 issue had a Rachmaninoff
Overview, written by Vroon and John Bell Young (of MCML fame) that praised
Anievas' Rachmaninoff concertos to the sky, with some reservations about
the 3rd Concerto.  I loved the line about the concertos that said "It is
as if *this* is what the whole development of the genre was leading up to."
Probably true.

Anievas' Chopin is also top drawer to me and his Rachmaninoff Preludes are
on a par with Keene's.  In short, a wonderful pianist who has an exceeding
natural way of playing.  I never feel that he is thinking "I'll make a
dimuendo here, speed up a little there and play this passage a little
louder".  Everything just comes out smoothly, unaffectedly and conveys
the music just like the composer probably wanted.  Listen to the Paganini
18th Variation.  No one comes as close to Rachmaninoff himself in the
expressiveness that Anievas shows, and he may even surpass the composer.

I heard Anievas live once in Tallahassee playing, among other things, the
Liszt Paganini Etudes.  He was soaking wet when he finished and earned
every bit of the applause.

A truly great and unappreciated pianist that everyone should hear.  I've
heard that he is a great guy too.

Joel Hill
Tallahassee, FL - USA
ALKAN Web Page: http://www.nettally.com/joelhill/alkan