Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 - Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker

The Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii has been blind from birth, and his path to stardom has accordingly been tougher than most. Tsujii’s account of Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto is gripping from start to finish, with a compelling account of the great opening movement cadenza (he plays the longer of the two versions Rachmaninoff wrote). Even in the vaulting acrobatics of the finale, Tsujii seems incapable of making an ugly sound, his tone consistently glowing richly from within. A suite from Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker, arranged for piano, is the main coupling. A teasing sense of humor informs Tsujii’s “Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy,” while the welling “Intermezzo” combines charm, delicacy, and a beguiling touch of Romantic fantasy. A clutch of shorter arrangements completes the program, including a poignant take on Rachmaninoff’s song “How Fair This Spot.” Tsujii himself provides an audio commentary on the album in English, an interesting bonus to this richly engaging recital.