Vladimir Ashkenazy's long-held affinity for Rachmaninov's keyboard idiom comes home to roost in one of the pianist's loveliest discs in years. Despite his increasingly infrequent keyboard activity, Ashkenazy has no trouble negotiating and controlling the swirling patterns in the E minor and E-flat minor Moments Musicaux, or the Polichinelle's rapid two-handed chord sequences and scurrying passagework. He takes the famous C-sharp minor Prelude at a quicker pace than he did 30 years earlier, and also shapes the middle section with far more intensity. The B-flat minor Serenade sports incisive left-hand thrusts and cannily timed rubatos that evoke the composer's ancient recording without a hint of imitation. And if you really want to be moved, listen to Ashkenazy's full-bodied, generously characterized renditions of the rare 1917 short pieces and the two song transcriptions. Given the wildly uneven sonic quality of Ashkenazy's piano recordings over the years, I'm happy to report that this release sounds marvelous. Warmly recommended. [7/22/2005]

--Jed Distler