content: My introducation to the music of Dmitri Kabalewsky was through the old Horowitz recordings of the 3rd sonata (both live and studio version) and some of the preludes. The music here is not as phantasmagoric as Scriabin, not as lush as Rachmaninov, and certainly not as "modern" as Prokofiev. Yet Kabalewsky is very original and falls within the Romantic range of Russian pianism. His music evokes various moods that might remind one of Prokofiev but there also seems to be an element of the fantasy there as well, especially in the preludes. The Sonatas are tight pieces well worth frequent performances on today's concert stage. The pianist, Wolfram Schmitt-Leonardy, is excellent with this music and plays it to the hilt. The sound and recording quality is very good as well. In all, a worth while CD for pianophiles looking for something new and good.