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Van Cliburn: Russian Piano Concertos (CD)

Van Cliburn: Russian Piano Concertos (CD)
Regular price $19.99
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In 1958, Cold War-era Moscow, the first International Tchaikovsky Competition took place and was won, unanimously and amid unprecedented publicity, by Van Cliburn of Texas. The Russians, who had designed the competition as a showcase for their own imperial talent, were initially disgruntled, but dismay turned to awe and affection as they listened to a virtuoso whose performance was worth its weight in gold. Following a ticker-tape Broadway parade upon his return home, record labels battled for the exclusive rights to Cliburn; RCA ultimately winning the fight. When first released, his recording of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 beat Elvis Presley in the charts and became the best-selling disc in the history of classical music.

Captured here in an expertly remastered disc by Pristine Audio are two subsequent recordings by Van Cliburn: his 1960 recording of Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto and his 1962 recording of Rachmaninov’s Second, both accompanied by the legendary Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

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