Ryan P. Murphy

Wow., Feb 11 2001

Mr. Pollini's interpretation of these Etudes is very unusual. It is musical, but it is also very steadfast and strict and shockingly flawless. This being coupled with Deutsche Grammophon's customary richness, clarity, and flawlessness in sound makes a very powerful, exciting recording. Now that I've heard Mr. Pollini playing these Etudes, I rarely listen to anyone else's interpretation because they just don't measure up to this. A must for any piano student.

Beautiful, but......, Feb 11 2001

This recording is my first experience with Mr. Pratt's playing. I more than thoroughly enjoyed it. His interpretations are vivid and his playing is emotionally moving and powerful. The pieces of music you will hear are unusual for concert repertoire, especially the Franck. He plays this magically, making this organ piece sound like it was written for piano. The Rachmaninov G-sharp minor Prelude moved me so much I listened to twice in succession when I first heard it. This is an excellent CD, but the sound is too harsh. This is probably due to poor microphone placement. (Perhaps the microphones were too close to the instrument-you can hear Mr. Pratt breathing and humming at times) I also… Read more

Magnificent!, Feb 11 2001

I think this is the only recording of Durufle's organ works that is readily available, but I can't imagine wanting another one. Durufle's genius and hard work is masterfully depicted here by Todd Wilson. The registration is impeccable and the organ is very well-suited to Durufle. The microphone placement for this recording was obviously very carefully chosen, with awe-inspiring results. The only reservation I have is that you cannot skip to specific movements in pieces. Even if you dislike organ music, you'll love this "desert island" recording.