Concertos pour piano & orch. : n°1, op.23 & n°2 op.44 - 12 Morceaux, op.40 pour piano solo : n°2 "Chanson triste" / Benno Moiseiwitsch, piano - Liverpool Philharmonic Orch. & Philharmonia Orch., dir. George Weldon

Benno Moiseiwitsch's elegant style and plush, upholstered tone transformed even tired warhorses into pure magic. If the Tchaikovsky Concerto No. 1 isn't quite as magical as other Moiseiwitsch performances because it often lacks ideal forward momentum, it is a solid performance ennobled by a poetic slow movement of consummate artistry. Unlike the outstanding Pletnev recording of the Concerto No. 2, most older renditions use the cut Siloti edition, and this one even adds a few smaller cuts, but Moiseiwitsch's playing is at its peak here. The filler, the lovely Chanson Triste for solo piano, is a gem, with Moiseiwitsch giving a priceless lesson in keyboard poetry. Ward Marston's excellent transfers help make this a must for historical collectors. Fans of the stereo versions of No. 1 by Argerich, Cliburn, and others will find this disc a useful supplement, illustrating the older, but no less valid, approach of one of the master pianists of the past century. --Dan Davis