music?

I heard Denis Matsuev play Rachmaninoff's third piano concerto with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra last night. The first movement had some wonderful moments, although I felt that Matsuev's playing lacked clarity in places. By the end of the third movement, he had almost completely sacrificed clarity to speed for a Finale that I found frankly disappointing. Technically the guy was brilliant- I could see it. But when an artist sacrifices the music to their technical prowess, when the music becomes a venue for display... I was disgusted by the arrogance. He got a standing ovation (something I might have given him after the first movement) and had to play two encores. After being treated to a frenetic G-minor Prelude, I was ready for the man to stop, but the audience ate it up like kids at a gymnastic competition. So we got more.