Szell proves a convivial, alert partner in the First Concerto, providing deft touches that lift this account above the ordinary. Listen, for instance, to the syncopated brass figure beneath the apotheosis of the last movement's second subject. If Graffman eschews the demonic brilliance of Horowitz, his reading is all about Tchaikovsky.
Graffman's clear and straightforward pianism stands out for its bigness, presence, and authority. I especially love his feathery scintillation in the slow movement's scampering central interlude, and the lyrical reserve he brings to the opening movement's extensive unaccompanied solos.
-- Jed Distler, ClassicsToday.com [reviewing Sony 94737]
