Reddit reviews Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 / Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1

This is an honest and correct answer, unfortunately hidden behind my RES filter that hides comments with too low a score. So here's an upvote for you. I enjoy Valentina's videos but she wouldn't be mentioned in any conversation about the best pianists alive today.

I think many people, including myself, would pick Martha Argerich as the most skilled pianist alive today -- I see you mentioned her above, too.

EDIT - I see others below have mentioned Argerich, too. For those who don't know her or who have not heard her Rach 3, here's a good album to check out what we're talking about. It's not the greatest Rach 3 ever recorded, but it's up there, and is certainly one of, if not the fieriest ever recorded.

Martha Argerich Rach 3 and Tchaikovsky - A classic. First rendition of Rach 3 I heard. Not the most technically perfect (e.g. compare with Kissin) but just so powerful and exhilarating.

Solti Mahler 8 in Vienna - Perfect soloists, perfect sound, perfect interpretation. Completely different league with respect to any other recording in terms of the soloists and Part 1.

Solti Brahms cycle - Great cycle. Either I love CSO/Solti recordings or I can't stand them. This is one of the former probably because Brahms is more in line with Solti's type of conducting. The fourth is particularily strong.

Mahler 2 Bernstein - Another classic. Not your everyday Mahler 2 but then again you don't listen to Mahler 2 every day. Pushing the score to its romantic limits as one reviewer put. Spiritual listening experience of death and transfiguration for the listener.

Eugene Ablulescu's Hammerklavier - Very interesting academic performance (not as slow or heartfelt as Solomon in the adagio for example). Rigid adherence to marked tempi. No idea why it isn't more well known.

Also I totally second the Gilels/Jochum Brahms concertos.