Editorial Product Review:

Amazon.com:
Pianist Stephen Hough is a certified genius, recipient of a 2001 MacArthur Foundation 'genius grant.' Although he apparently received the award for his explorations of uncommon piano repertoire, he also deserved it for the quality of his piano tone, which is extremely beautiful, as conveyed here by Hyperion's lush recording of the Saint-Saens piano concertos. Unlike most previous volumes of Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series, this one includes some familiar works, especially the Second Piano Concerto. If you listen to that first, you'll realize just how good Hough's performances are throughout this set, since he matches any of the great pianists who have recorded the work. Notice the way he zips through the incredibly fast finale without the slightest hint of effort or rush. Although the Second, Fourth, and Fifth Concertos are the only ones still heard in our concert halls, all these pieces have their attractions--especially the delightful waltz 'Wedding Cake,' which would make a great concert encore. Sakari Oramo, the new music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, provides alert accompaniment, rich in detail, and the orchestra plays beautifully. This isn't an inexpensive set, but quality like this is cheap at any price. --Leslie Gerber









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Disc 1:

1. Movement 1
2. Movement 2
3. Movement 3
4. I. Andante Sostenuto
5. II. Allegro Scherzando
6. III. Presto
7. Moderato assai - Più mosso (Allegro maestoso)
8. Andante
9. Allegro non troppo

Disc 2:

1. Allegro moderato / Andante
2. Allegro vivace / Andante / Allegro
3. I. Allegro animato
4. II. Andante
5. III. Molto Allegro

Customer Rating: - 2008 Gramophone Gold Disc
This set won the 2008 Gramophone Gold Disc against some very stiff competition over the last 30 years.

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Customer Rating: - Perfect performances
Having heard many performances of the S/S concertos, both singly and in sets -- and finding something to gripe about in each of them, except perhaps the old Entremont/Ormandy readings on Sony/Columbia -- I have to say this one is far and away the best. The details are right, there aren't any klunky edits, the sense of line and balance is point-perfect. More importantly, they're thrilling. Fast, yes, but always clean and accurate and rhythmically precise, orchestra and soloist alike.

I seriously could not want for a better recording of these pieces. They rock.

Oh, and people seem to dislike the recorded sound, but it doesn't bother me at all. It makes me feel like I'm sitting on the bench turning Hough's pages, rather than being half way back in the hall.

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Customer Rating: - a thousand times bland
Good grief, could anything be anymore uninspiring? I'm not talking about the performance so much as I am the compositions. How anyone could find something in these pieces is beyond me. Saens makes no innovative or bold advances in the work of music. The scales are generic. The interplay between piano and orchestra is cliche. Unless you know you like Saens, I do not recomend buying this album for anything.

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Customer Rating: - Saint-Saens: The Complete Works for Piano & Orchestra
A beautiful CD, brand new and exactly what I ordered but apparently I don't understand what free shipping means because it looks like I was charged for shipping.