Whilst agreeing with your previous reviewer that the lack of proper documentation is a fault with this set, the relevant information is readily available elsewhere and, quite honestly, doesn't greatly detract from the enjoyment and value of this set of Rachmaninov's recordings for both the Edison and Victor companies.
In total they give a superb picture of the man who was probably the last of the great composer-interpreters of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Rachmaninov's claims as a fine composer are now well established and this set contains what surely are definative performances of the four piano concertos, the Paganini Rhapsody and a large number of solo pieces. They are superbly played, well recorded for the time, and still provide the benchmark against which all other versions must be judged.
Racmaninov was also a superb interpreter of other composers. His Chopin, Schumann, and Beethoven are quite wonderful and his playing of various shorter pieces by a variety of composers full of the insight of fellow composer. His technique was superb but this virtuosity was never for its own sake but always subservient to the music.
Also included are some sonatas played with Kreisler and, also, a fascinating disc of him conducting his own orchestral music.
The historical value of this set is enormous but, what is sometimes forgotten, the music making is no period piece but of such quality as to provide great enjoyment and continual satisfaction to anybody who loves great music and can put up with less than perfect sound.
The remastering has been well done and the price very reasonable. Buy and enjoy!
