Brahms and Tchaikovsky

I have three Argerich Tchaikovsky PC 1 performances on CD:
-Kondrashin/Phillips
-Dutoit/DG
-Abbado/DG
Best sound will go to 1994 Abbado live performance with BPO, but whenever I compared the Kondrashin to the Abbado I always felt the Abbado was more relaxed vs the excitement generated by Kondrashin version. I was surprised when checking the timing on finale movements that Abbado was significantly faster at 6:18 vs 6:54 for Kondrashin, but the overall sense I get despite that is that Kondrashin is the more energetic version.

Also Abbado version has weak (but entertaining) coupling, with Kondrashin you get Rachmaninoff PC 3 and Dutoit version gives you Prokofiev PC 3, both are very substantial and well done couplings.

I also have the Pletnev/Virgin set which gives you Tchaikovsky PC 1,2,3 at very low price. Sound here is also very good, but I really don't listen much to PC 2,3.

As far as mono recordings, I don't own any. I'm sure there are Richter, Horowitz etc versions of PC 1 that surpass stereo versions......but I must have stereo.

I do own the Argerich/Kondrashin/Phillips, which I bought for Rachmaninoff PC 3. You are quite right that her performance is incindiary. However, for my taste, she sacrifices too much of the music for her admittedly awesome technical virtuosity.

IMHO, both Richter and Gilels use their virtuosity in support of the music, bringing out the emotional essence of this piece, especially Richter whose performance of the 3rd movement is hauntingly beautiful.

Don't let the fact that a recording is in mono dissuade you from listening to it. Richter's performance, especially, needs to be heard and is in very good sound. In fact, the piano on Richter's CD sound more like the real thing compared to Argerich's, which sounds distant and slightly tinny.

Gileon
I did many years ago have the Horrowitz/RCA mono recording from 1943 conducted by Toscanini of Tchaikovsky PC 1, but I perhaps foolishly got rid of it since I thought the sound quality was too comprimised......kinda wish I still had it now for reference.

Magasam:
Both versions of the Horowitz/Toscanini Tchaikovsky (Broadcast and Studio)are available on CD. The sound isn't great but it is better than the LP transfer.

Yes, both of Horowitz/Toscanini CDs are pretty dismal sounding, but performance wise, Horowitz eclipses Argerich in the pyrotechnics (the 1943 slightly more so than 1941).

Both readily available at Tower and I assume other establishments.