Brahms: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 / Handel Variations, Op. 24 / Waltzes, Op. 39
Wow! George Szell owned the First Piano Concerto. He  played the opening movement like no one else, and he recorded the work with  three outstanding pianists: Sir Clifford Curzon, Rudolf Serkin, and this  performance with Anton Fleischer. When I say this is the best of the three, I'm  making a tough choice, but Fleischer brings a youthful vigor and rage to the  music that complements Szell's fiery accompaniment so well that they sound like  they're both performing from the same musical brain. The Second Concerto is a  gentler work, but it's played with no less vigor and dash. Along with the Emil  Gilels/Eugen Jochum performances on DG, these are the Brahms piano concertos to  have above all others.--David Hurwitz