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3.0 out of 5 stars
Rach 3? No place to showcase your poetic & lyrical side, Jul 3 2003
Kissin displayed such abilities at an early age, it was hard not to imagine he would live his life at the top level virtuosity.I bought Kissin's Rach 3 because I have never been impressed by Kissin; The quality of his playing is uneven, with the main problem that strikes me, is that he often seems to lack a sense of certain works as a coherent whole. Kissen's Rach 3 has been around for 10 years or so, but I never got around to hearing it. I listened to it recently and was completely disappointed. Kissen plays the entire work more or less understated. The conducting by Ozawa is outstanding in the sense it supports Kissin's approach to the work. But Kissin's approach to the work is the problem. He plays slowly and softly, and I seems to me he is attempting to focus on the lyrical and poetic aspacts of the work. A poetic, understated and lyrical and poetic Rach 3. Is Kissin kidding? This a work where the big boys and girls get a chance to show what they can do. Perhaps Kissin thought he found a legitimate new way to approach the work.
However whatever Kissin was trying do it didn't work. With the works natural emotional high points smoothed out, there was nothing left but a flat CD, that doesn't say a single thing new. I found it flat and boring throughout. There are quite a few outstanding Rach 3 recordings out there, but this isn't one of them. If you a Rach 3, the 1951 Horowitz studio recording, and the 1958 live performane by Van Cliburn jump to mind. A lyric and poetic approach is fine for many works but certainly not this one. Kissin had a perfect opportunity to demonstrate he was one the the big dogs on the block, and strut his stuff. He didn't do it, and believe he can't do it. Time will tell if Kissin develops, but in the meantime stay away from this on. I also like the 1999 recording of the Rach 3 by Arcadi Volodos, recorded live with the Berlin Philharmonic.
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