The First HMV Recordings (Recorded 1949 & 1951)

Album review

Gina Bachauer was a formidable pianist who performed from the 1930s until her death at age 66 in 1976, but who is primarily known now from the piano competition named in her honor. She recorded frequently in the 1950s and 1960s, but only a few of these recordings have been issued on compact disc. This CD includes all of her first recordings, with the exception of two Scarlatti sonatas, made with the label His Master's Voice. Given the age of the recordings and because they are transferred directly from commerical discs, the sound here is like that of an old radio broadcast, but relatively free of scratchiness. Except perhaps for the Mozart Concerto No. 26, the repertoire here is not lightweight in any sense, so it gives a pretty good idea of her strength. That she plays Liszt and Bach/Busoni pieces with such confidence, musicality, and ease makes it all the more admirable. She creates huge waves of sound in Liszt's Funérailles and Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12, but also in the Rhapsody she creates delicate little ornaments. Both the New London Orchestra and Bachauer lean slightly toward the Romantic in the Mozart, sometimes sounding just a bit too heavy in passages, but are generally clear and precise, giving it a refined and graceful feel with brief moments of drama. The Liszt/Busoni Rhapsodie espagnole is flashy, but Bachauer gives the flash substance and meaning so it isn't mere showmanship. Sound aside, this is a great demonstration of Bachauer's talent.
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