Earl Wild's performances are always an event not to be missed. He is such a magnificent musician, technician, and an unmannered performer. He plays the Rachmaninoff song transcriptions as probably no other musician can or perhaps ever will. Why do I give this recording 4 instead of 5 stars? Here again, a personal view. The songs are mostly similar in intensity, style and mood. They have little variety as played one after another. I believe that the record played a few pieces at one listening gets an emphatic 5 stars. IF one attempts to listen to the entire disc from beginning to end--one's attention begins to wander and the experience of great performances (which they are) is diluted by the nature of their content.