Rachmaninov plays and conducts, vol.1 S.Rachmaninov. Piano concerto No.2, Isle of the Dead, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini S.Rachmaninov, piano Philadelphia Symphony orchestra conducted by L.Stokovsky The first disc of our historic 8-volume collection that illustrates Rachmaninov's genius as pianist and conductor. Vista Vera are serving admirers well with this set which restores to circulation the majority of his discs. The authorial voice we hear conducting the Isle of the Dead is intensely purposely but dramatic, powerful and tense. This famous recording and that of the Third Symphony (vol.5) show what we have missed through the restrictions on his conducting for RCA Victor. But enough remains to make a study of this body of work both necessary and important - both for students of Rachmaninov and for admirers of the repertoire and great pianism. a pianophile without Rachmaninov's recordings should not really sleep at night. -- Jonathan Woolf