Ulvi on my comments on Ashkenasy:

>>Which to my mind would be a nice addition to those availible and a
>>splendid birthday present for myself 8^) - Let's just hope that the people
>>at the Polygram office has not mixed music and alcohol in this issue and
>>that Ashkenazy has recorded the op. 87 for real...
>
>Somehow, Ashkenazy doesn't make me tremble with anticipation; after
>all, this is not Rachmaninov.

Well, I dont know if You imply that Ashkenazy playing Rachmaninov would be
more trembling than VA playing Shostakovich? Or if You imply that SR was/is
a better composer than DS? Or that You just mourn the fact that SR died
long before DS ever wrote op.  87, and that he (SR), based on what 'we'
have heard of his playing would be the perfect executor of these pieces?

To answer myself:  I would take more of both SR and DS music from Ashkenazy
any day, both solo and with orchestra.  And I remind myself; Ashkenazy like
every other musician I can think of has had his 'ups and downs' - and thus:
I never judge unheard.

I could never agree that Rachmaninov is/was or will ever be a better
composer than Shostakovich - to me its like compairing sugar and salt (SR
& DS), I could live with out sugar, but I cant vision life without salt -
this said; You can have grate fun with sugar 8^)

Rachmaninov doing the op.  87...  Wammy, wouldent we!  The greatest pianist
of the 20th century - there is a lot of music we could dream of being
performed by musicians who died before the music was composed - as long as
this is impossible we have to live with second best, and lets hope that
with every new recording we get closer to the best!

>However, I am sincerely hoping to be pleasantly surprised when it comes
>out.

So do I, And while I'm at it; While writing my response to Richards
Polygram message I confused record labels, the Mustonen is on Teldec, not
on BMG/RCA as I stated (was another record with him I bought at the same
time, with S.  Isserlis playing celloworks by DS, Prokofiev and Janaceck,
a decent disc)

Cheers

Peter Lundin
Gothenburg, Sweden