Achieving a well-rounded recorded sound of an instrument like the piano must be a tremendous feat of engineering. The single instrument is capable of producing every pitch found in a symphony orchestra and possesses a broader dynamic range than almost all of them. With a composer such as
Rachmaninov, who puts such tremendous demands on the pianist and piano alike, capturing each and every note while maintaining a realistic and pleasing piano sound increases the difficulty for the recording engineer. Still, it has been done countless times before, so difficulty is not a sufficient excuse. Sadly, this recording of pianist
Santiago Rodriguez suffers primarily because of the sound quality captured in the studio. The instrument sounds at times like a cabaret or "old west" piano. While every note is clear and distinct, there is no bass to speak of and the instrument itself seems very far away. All of this is quite regrettable as
Rodriguez's playing appears quite powerful, thoughtful, and elegant; these attributes do not make up for the displeasing sound quality. For a recording that combines both well-rounded sound as well as technical and musical bravura, listeners are referred to
Vladimir Ashkenazy's superb offerings.