Russian Sentimental Journey? Nyet
Written by Anthony Tommasini
"The Rachmaninoff recording offers a scintillating account of the popular "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini," with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra sounding crisp and energetic under the Finnish conductor Sakari Oramo. Despite taking daringly swift tempos in the faster variations, he plays with consistent clarity and telling detail. In the more ruminative variations - like the grim one with the tolling "Dies irae" motif and the famous 17th variation, the one with the grandly lyrical theme - Mr. Lugansky's spacious playing is straightforwardly expressive: a refreshing change from pianists who can't help milking this music for every drop of sentiment.
There are also incisive and thoughtful accounts of two demanding solo works, Variations on a Theme of Corelli and Variations on a Theme of Chopin, in performances that make a strong case for the musical integrity and contrapuntal ingenuity of these seldom-heard scores."
