E. Stuart Cole, Chief Concert Piano Technician of the Baldwin Piano Company, is the the technician for this performance. He was in charge of this piano on a daily basis. Stuart taught me, a raw, self-taught Miami concert piano tech, how to lacquer, how to voice, how to behave for artists. At the time of this recording, I had already successfully completed the 1981 Baldwin Recordings with Audiofon in Coral Gables, Fl. at the Gusman Concert Hall of the University of Miami. Stuart is my mentor and Earl was my early teacher, of how to produce brilliant but not brittle tone. Earl trained me, just as did Stuart. He was very kind and very challenging, at the same time. He remains amazing as a musician, musicologist, pianist, teacher and irresistable transducer of tones.
Rachmaninoff himself playing this is so much more artistically refined. Better flow richer rubato, more layers, better singing. More accomplished artistically and yet more simple.
What's a huuuge difference from those 'youngsters' playing this piece here on RU-vid. This performance of Master who had long life already. Sounds like reminiscences of special moments ...so poetic and mysterious
Awesome / Beautiful Interpretation! Wild had such a unique approach to music that was so fresh. This recording reminds me of that. His approach kept me saying; "I would have never thought to play it that way".
So true. I found the same when i listened to Cortot playing chopin (as i had never listened to this performer before) and it changed how i view most pieces
A truly beautiful and elegant rendering by one of the greatest pianists of the XX Century.Thank you for bringing his extraordinary performance back, it is a shame that he is not as known as he must be. It was difficult for American pianists of his time to be as respected as their European counterparts where. Kreisler would be applauding hearing this piano arrangement of his beautiful piece!
Wild and urbane - dichotomous not. Melody pours forth like a singer, helped by excellent connective and blended pedaling. Somewhat reminds me of Gilels' golden tone coupled with Bolet's caressing phrasing.
I like what ou said: "Melody pours forte like a singer". I could understand "Bolets's caressing phrasing" at the magnificent Schumann-Liszt Widmung he plays.
Sorry to differ. Yes Earl was a good pianist. I heard him live twice. However, I think the "rubato" is far too over-done here, at the start anyway. Bolet is much better, with a sense of balance and reasonable tempi.
