Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 3 & Scherzo for Piano and Orchestra - Classical Music for Concerts, Study & Relaxation

The fuller set of Bartok's piano works, as played by the late Zoltan Kocsis are available at a decent price on Amazon marketplace. However, I didn't want this particular CD to go without any reviews, just in case you find it somewhere. Its well done and well worth it if you can get it for a decent price.The CD includes what is one of Bartok's most popular and enduring pieces, the Piano Concerto #3. There are many good--and some really transcendent--recordings of this piece, among which this one will hold its own as a complementary version. I also really enjoy the Geza Anda/Ferenc Fricsay recording, as well as Argerich/Dutoit and Annie Fischer/Markevitch. While Kocsis maybe doesn't plumb the depths as well as Anda, its still a very suave and extremely well executed rendition. Kocsis and Fischer clearly both have the music in their DNA.For me part of the appeal of this CD (and the complete set) was inclusion of the early scherzo. It will be apparent straight away upon listening that it doesn't reflect what is considered to be Bartok's more "mature" style. However, its an incredibly well written and high spirited piece of music played with real verve. Very enjoyable. If you heard this music blind, you'd probably have one of those Fabio-like "I can't believe it Bartok" moments.Highly recommended.