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Title: Wish I could say more...
Review: The liner notes speak to Kissin's preference for making live recordings. In much of his repertoire, he has achieved great success in this approach. Unfortunately, this release is hampered by a milquetoast orchestral accompaniment and truly awful recording balancing. The result is a muffled, somewhat flat performance that cannot be redeemed by Kissin's playing, which is at times revelatory. In modern sound, Martha Argerich's is still the one to beat. Older recordings that hold up quite well include Ashkenazy's 60's go round, Van Cliburn's, and, for reference, the composer's own recording with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Ormandy.
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