His Khachaturian is muscular and colorful, driven and powerful. On the surface, then, we at least have a thrilling performance of a concerto that doesn't rest well in contemplative hands. On the plus side, he plays the cadenzas with imagination and deft attention to crucial detail. I'm not sure anyone has ever played it better. Still, this is a generally convincing account in a crowded field.
Sound is good, though focused a bit too much on the piano.
Speaking of the couplings, the Prokofieff First is played with the same individuality and skill. Here, however, Pierce's reading may be a little less successful. His phrasing of the colorful, rather giddy theme in the opening of the finale, for example, doesn't sound playful enough, with base notes given a bit too much prominence. And while his playing rarely shortchanges the more caustic elements in this score, Pierce gives us a Prokofieff with power and muscle, all right, but lacking in the whimsical and sardonic. The Slovenian Orchestra plays well enough and Freeman abets Pierce with a knowing baton.