Alicia de Larrocha and André Previn cautiously commence their Rachmaninov Third, neither one of them quite taking the lead. But when the pianist arrives at the first, brief cadenza, her sound gains in amplitude and assurance. Her tiny hands, to be sure, cannot always spell out Rachmaninov’s meaty chord voicings verbatim. Even her fabled stamina seems slightly taxed by the score’s climactic chord sequences and octaves, most hurtfully in the concluding Vivace and coda. Still, the pianist gives luscious shape and significance to filigree many other pianists take for granted–and without bogging down the rhythm, notably in the first movement cadenza (the lighter, easier option favored by Horowitz, Argerich, and the composer), and the lilting waltz in the Intermezzo. The soft, swirling passages in the Finale’s variations also are beautifully voiced. Previn returns the compliment by clarifying the composer’s oft-buried wind and brass commentaries with greater success than his earlier recording with Vladimir Ashkenazy. I can’t say that Larrocha’s Rachmaninov Third matches the suppleness, scintillation, and forward momentum of similarly conceived versions from Zoltan Kocsis, Idil Biret, and Santiago Rodriguez, but her intelligence and seasoned artistry cannot be disputed.
The real surprise, however, lies with Peter Katin’s invigorating sprint through the thickets of Rachmaninov’s First Concerto, abetted by energetic, long-lined support from Adrian Boult and the London Philharmonic. My only reservation lies with the skewed balances, with the piano a bit recessed in the mix and the brass way upside your head, as if you’re sitting on stage with the orchestra rather than experiencing the music from a choice concert hall seat. The Earl Wild/Jascha Horenstein version remains my top choice for this reason, and for Wild’s additional bravura and rhythmic élan.
