Glenn Miller wrote:

>I recently bought Brahms syms 1-4 on Sony Label by Zubin Mehta, Israel Phil
>Orch.  and Saint-Saens 5 piano concertos on Odyssey Label.  I paid $12.50
>for the Brahms and $3 for the 5 piano concerto.  Cheap enough, but that
>being said, are they any good.  I rather take them back and purchase other
>CD's than keep something that is not up to par.

SS's five piano concertos for $3? Incredible!  Where did you get them?

I have Entremont's recordings of nos.  2 & 4 on Sony, Ormandy conducting.
I am a layperson in piano music, but I feel that perhaps his strokes are
a bit too heavy for SS's music.

My complete set of SS's piano ctos is the EMI 2CD bargain price one, with
Ciccolini as the pianist (I don't have anymore details at hand, for I lent
the CDs to a friend).  I think his performances are excellent.  A friend of
mine, who plays the piano, said that Ciccolini studied under Saint-Saens's
pupil, and he thinks his performances are the best.

I love SS's piano ctos, especially nos.  1, 2, and 4.  If you liked these
concertos, you might want to try SS's other piano concertante works.  He
was a master in writing exotic music, and he was particularly fond of
Africa.  His Africa fantasy for piano and orchestra is one of my favorites.
There's another EMI set (3 separate CDs) of SS's complete piano concertante
works, with Previn as the conductor (can't remember the pianist--lent that
one too!).  I think it pairs nos.  2 & 4 in Vol.  2, nos.  3 & 5 in Vol.
3, and no.1 plus other concertante works (Africa, Rhapsody d'Auv...,
Allegro appassionato, Wedding Cake) in Vol.  1.

Enjoy!
Gilbert Chang