This unexpected and in some ways incongruous coupling is defended by the conductor on the grounds of stylistic diversity and the complex relationship between the two composers. Jeffrey Campbell quotes Rimsky’s own description of the Piano Concerto as a “chip from Liszt’s concertos” although, to my ears, Chopin is a more obvious point of reference, certainly in the central Andante mosso. I was also reminded of Glinka (the opening bears a certain resemblance to Kamarinskaya) and Prokofiev, whose First Concerto recalls Rimsky Korsakov’s in spirit, and whose Fifth Concerto resembles it in form.
Rachmaninov comes to mind, too, specifically in the fourth movement Allegro which, on this particular CD, is significantly bolstered by the pianist’s own flamboyant – and highly musical – cadenza. Campbell’s performance is technically accomplished and fairly extrovert although, in purely pianistic terms, it is quite outclassed by Sviatoslav Richter’s mesmerizing – but poorly recorded – mono account for Melodiya.
The reading of Tchaikovsky’s Polish Symphony has some points in its favour, not least Telarc’s excellent sound, Levine’s patient pacing and some tenderly phrased string playing. True, the outer movements lack vitality and the inner ones have little sense of fantasy, but if you are on the look-out for a performance that honours classical structure above all else, then Levine’s affectionate, unruffled saunter may be to your liking. The off-the-beat timpani writing at the work’s close sounds spectacular, but my own money rests securely on Markevitch’s magnetic 1965 LSO recording (currently available as part of a Philips Duo set, together with Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2), a stunner of a performance and still sounding remarkably fresh.'