It’s easy to fathom why this disc garnered high praise from the British press, along with my ClassicstodayFrance.com colleague Christophe Huss. Steven Osborne meets the considerable pianistic demands of Rachmaninov’s Preludes with effortless aplomb and elegant, world-class mastery. In addition, Hyperion’s superior engineering absorbs the music’s wide dynamic range, striking an ideal balance between ambient resonance and pinpointed detail.
Granted, some listeners may find Osborne’s luminous tone and yielding cadences too soft-grained in impact next to more angular and forceful performances of certain pieces: think of Richter’s animation and transparency in the Op. 23 No. 4, Gavrilov’s swashbuckling Op. 23 No. 2, or Horowitz’s sexy phrasing of Op. 25 No. 5’s harmonically gorgeous coda. Yet Osborne’s intelligence and authority grow more persuasive over repeated listening.
How marvelously he structures the G-sharp minor Op. 32 No. 12’s obstinate accompaniment around the long cantabile lines, and similarly so in the C minor Op. 23 No. 7. Impressive power, drive, and suppleness define an A minor Op. 32 No. 8 that arguably rivals Ashkenazy’s nimble paradigm. The B minor Op. 32 No. 10’s desolate chords are weighty yet full of inner lilt. And the ubiquitous C-sharp minor Op. 3 No. 2 convincingly fuses forward sweep and firm, orchestral sonorities. While I wouldn’t sacrifice Weissenberg, Fiorentino, or Ashkenazy among my favorite complete Rachmaninov Prelude cycles, collectors seeking the best combination of sound and interpretation will gain long-lasting satisfaction from Osborne’s formidable achievement.
