Rachmaninov’s First Piano Concerto was composed while he was a student at the Moscow Conservatoire, then fully reworked before he left Russia in 1917 and again in 1919. It is hard to explain why it never achieved a higher level of popularity – it has all of the melodic beauty, passion and brilliance found throughout the composer’s music. The Fourth Piano Concerto was much revised after harsh criticism at its premiere but it occupies a unique place in Rachmaninov’s oeuvre, showing a progression from lush Romanticism towards the muscular transparency of his later works. The electrifying Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini is a concerto in all but name – the work’s sense of fun and demonic bravura has ensured its place among the mostloved and often performed works for piano and orchestra.

This recording of the First and Fourth Piano Concertos completes Boris Giltburg’s recordings of Rachmaninov’s piano concertos. It follows on from a recording of the Second Piano Concerto (8573629) which was an American Record Guide Critic’s Choice and considered ‘compulsive listening’ by BBC Music Magazine. Giltburg’s recording of the Third Piano Concerto (8573630) ‘shatters the encrustation of reputational habit, offering instead a vividly imaginative recreation of a score that lives and breathes with irresistible vitality’ (Gramophone).

Pianist Boris Giltburg is lauded across the globe as a deeply sensitive, insightful and compelling musician. In 2020 he recorded on audio and audiovisual all 32 Beethoven sonatas, released in a box set in 2021. The first volume in his complete Rachmaninov concerto recordings series, coupled with the Études-Tableaux and subsequently the Corelli Variations and performed with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Carlos Miguel Prieto, won the award for Best Solo Recording at the inaugural Opus Klassik Awards, and his recital discs of Rachmaninov, Liszt and Schumann have been similarly well received.

Conductor Vassily Sinaisky’s reputation in Russian music has been established over a career that spans five decades, including posts as principal conductor of the Russian State Orchestra and at the Bolshoi in Moscow. His Naxos recordings include Franz Schmidt’s complete symphonies in a set that was ‘unreservedly recommended’ by Gramophone.

The Brussels Philharmonic makes regular appearances in the major European capitals, and international representation by IMG Touring has resulted in further tours and concerts. It has also received praise for its expertise in film music, including the Academy Award-winning score for The Artist. The orchestra’s discography, released by Deutsche Grammophon and Palazzetto Bru Zane among others, has garnered international acclaim, with releases receiving ECHO Klassik, Choc de Classica de l’année and Diapason d’or de l’année awards. Its recordings for Naxos include a contribution to the complete symphonies of Belgian composer Marcel Poot (857429293), ‘a set not to be missed’ (Gramophone).