Lang Lang takes it slow with Rachmaninov

Celebrated pianist Lang Lang gets off to a slow start with Rachmaninov's Second Concerto, but soon gets into his stride on this poised recording

Composer: Rachmaninov
Repertoire: Piano Concerto No.2; Paganini Rhapsody
Artists: Lang Lang (piano), Mariinsky Theatre Orch/Gergiev
Rating: 3/5 
Genre: Orchestral 
Label: DG 477 5231 

After the slowest opening eight bars of the popular Second Concerto ever recorded, Lang Lang gets into his stride with a poised and brilliantly articulated account. Here and in the finely paced Rhapsody the piano is placed well forward, obscuring some orchestral detail and occasionally losing the melodic focus. Though these are fine, athletic live performances in sonorous recordings, why did my spine not tingle once?