My Top 10 Recordings - no. 4: Volodos/Carnegie Hall

Larger than life: Arcadi Volodos's Carnegie Hall debut recital in 1998. If you feel starved for live music, this is the album to hear.

What fascinates me about this recording is the capture of an electrifying live-concert energy and the incredible beauty of Volodos’ very personal piano sound. There is that old school magic of drawing in the listener with ever changing colors and impeccable phrasing, with long structures and whimsical innovations.

Volodos is in only his mid twenties when he plays his Carnegie Hall debut.

The recording was edited cutting out applause between works, except for the very end, where we get to re-live and enjoy the overwhelming joy of a once in a lifetime concert experience in one of the greatest concert halls.

A deeply moving recording at this moment where we have to be without large scale live events and without the joint experience of music.