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Rachmaninov: Piano Music / John Lill

Rachmaninov / Lill,John
Release Date: 08/13/2013 
Label:  Regis   Catalog #: 1331   Spars Code: DDD 
Composer:  Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:  John Lill
Number of Discs: 1 
Length: 1 Hours 19 Mins. 

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Notes and Editorial Reviews

Rachmaninov's music is superb and Lill is in excellent form.

The two different catalogue numbers above can be explained by the fact that the labelling of the physical CD indicates the Portrait original (but see below), released in 2008, whereas the booklet and inlay are in the livery of Regis, who have just reissued this disc after re-mastering it. In truth, that is not much of an explanation, and indeed there are more questions that Regis must answer: why is there no mention in the booklet of John Lill, why no note on the historical significance of this recording, why no where-or-when details, why no hint of the original source of these recordings?

More to the point, why not state that this disc is in Read more fact a composite re-release of well-received recordings Lill made for the Nimbus label in the 1990s? The Piano Sonata no.2 is from NI 5348 (1994), the Corelli Variations from NI 5478 (1996) and the Moments Musicaux from NI 5575 (1998). There is clearly a danger that Regis could mislead browsers into buying recordings that they perhaps already own - after all, John Lill is still very much alive and well and performing, and these could theoretically be new recordings, as opposed to ones that are over fifteen years old. It could also be argued that the Regis reissue is not happily timed, as Nimbus themselves released a 3-disc set of Lill playing Rachmaninov's Piano Concertos just a few months previously, a set which also included these very recordings.

There are plus sides, however: Rachmaninov's music is superb, and likely at the very least to please anyone attracted to his famous Prelude in C sharp minor op.3 no.2, or the Second Piano Concerto. John Lill is also in excellent form. All three works, the Sonata and Variations in particular, have been recorded umpteen times before, so Lill has massive competition. Favourite versions will ultimately come down to personal taste, with Simon Trp?eski and Freddy Kempff likely the front-runners among many excellent interpreters, but no one can go wrong with Lill's understated brilliance.

As for the re-mastering, the only truly justifiable reason for the re-release: it is very good, it has to be said. The original Nimbus sound was fine but not exceptional, and engineer Paul Arden-Taylor has clarified and deepened it. A final reason for any potential buyer to give this disc full consideration is its value for money - not just the 78+ minutes of Rachmaninov, but the bargain price - available widely on the internet at prices well below those legendary of Naxos.

-- Byzantion, MusicWeb International
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Works on This Recording

1.
Variations on a theme of Corelli, Op. 42 by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:  John Lill (Piano)
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1931; USA 
2.
Sonata for Piano no 2 in B flat minor, Op. 36 by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:  John Lill (Piano)
Period: 20th Century 
Written: 1913/1931; Russia 
3.
Moments musicaux (6), Op. 16 by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:  John Lill (Piano)
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1896; Russia 

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review:  ( 1 Customer Review )
 I'm scared I will wear the CD out August 8, 2013 By Delphine K. (Rozelle, New South Wales) See All My Reviews "I can't ever praise John Lill enough. There is never anything better than his work and while there may be others who would like to say they have wonderful performances of Rachmaninov I have to seriously propose there can be no better than this. John Lill never ever fails to possess you throughout any performance. For Rachmaninov lovers this is a simply wonderful CD." Report Abuse
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