Besides being a great composer, Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) was also a marvellously accomplished and original performer on the piano, an instrument which has never lacked outstanding players. He cut gramophone recordings between 1919 and 1942, a period during which many improvements were made in the quality of recorded sound. Yet by 21st-century standards Rachmaninoff’s work for the gramophone sounds relatively primitive, thin and lacking the full resonance of which the piano is capable. These Zenph re-performances, which completely eliminate the technological limitations of the past, use computerised captures of attacks, key-speeds, pitches, durations, plus interpretative nuances including those added by Rachmaninoff’s always subtle pedalling. And all this is done on a 1909 Steinway concert grand in optimum condition such as the composer always played himself.

The standard-resolution CD release of this album on Sony Masterworks has garnered some impressive reviews. It was John Atkinson's pick for Stereophile's "Records To Die For" in 2010 and The Absolute Sound's "Recording of the Issue" in December 2009. Imagine how much better it sounds without the limitations of 44.1 kHz/16-bits and only two channels! The HD Surround tracks offered here on iTrax.com bring this masterpiece to a whole new level of fidelity and involvement.