A respectable budget collection of
Brahms' solo piano works played by Vanguard's roster of legendary pianists, this double disc may be suitable for those building a collection or seeking a convenient set for study. Even so, this is a mixed bag of old recordings of variable sound quality, apparently all ADD. While analog tape hiss is substantially reduced, the recordings have a fairly constricted audio range.
Earl Wild,
Eugene List,
Jacqueline Blancard, and
Bruce Hungerford are represented by recordings from the mid-twentieth century, and their styles are decidedly of the Romantic school, with robust dynamics, ample rubato, and dramatic displays of technique.
Wild's incisive rendition of the Variations on a Theme by Paganini and
Blancard's expressive reading of the Variations on a Theme by Schumann provide the most satisfying musical experiences, and these works admirably showcase the pianists' abilities. Regrettably, the sound of
Blancard's 1951 recording is muddy, but her deeply felt interpretation shines through in spite of it. The shorter pieces may be less captivating for their brevity, but they give a clear idea of
List's and
Hungerford's approaches, and the sound is at least tolerable. Vanguard's liner notes provide sufficient information on the pieces, but no helpful background information on the performers, recording dates, or original albums.