This version of Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto was originally recorded live (with touch-ups) in January of 1978 and released about three weeks after the concert. The CD released in the mid-1980s was a great improvement over the LP, but the sonics were problematic there also. The piano was mixed down too severely and seemed to recede behind the orchestra in some passages. This new High Performance reissue is a vast improvement over both earlier versions. The balance problems have been solved, and both piano and orchestra have a much warmer, deeper sound. The dynamic range has been greatly opened up--the final timpani THWACK at the end of the Concerto is quite startling. The sound on the Sony disc is also superior, but RCA has again improved the sound over earlier issues. The piano sounds warmer and less tinny, and the dynamic range is greatly increased.