Turn-ons and Turn-offs in Current Home Entertainment Releases : Excellent Good Fair Poor : COMPACT DISCS

“Concert Favorites.” Liberace. CBS. ADD. Although Liberace was formally trained and reputedly once a protege of Paderewski, he exchanged the respect of the classical world for widespread popularity by becoming the diamond-studded, fur-clad Elton John of his day. The all-classical repertory in this package--remastered recordings from 1953 to 1955--includes a two-minute “Minute” Waltz and three minutes of Tchaikovsky’s First Concerto. The man who “cried all the way to the bank” over critical drubbings nevertheless swept away fans with these flashy arpeggios, keyboard flourishes and lush orchestral accompaniments--even on Chopin. But this CD misses the point: To capture the real Liberace, go video. Sound quality: good.