A highly distinctive 2004 Chopin recital on the Tavros label brought the young Russian-born, Juilliard-trained pianist Vassily Primakov to my attention. His innate poetic sensibility, superbly gauged articulation, and beautifully modulated sonority breathe fresh life and gentle fluidity into both Chopin concertos, abetted by equally sensitive and cultivated orchestral playing under Paul Mann’s leadership. Indeed, the conductor/soloist synchronicity reveals few if any detectable loose ends of phrasing and rubato. To be sure, these intimately scaled performances don’t offer Rubinstein’s hearty élan, Argerich’s volatile dynamic surges, nor Arrau’s operatic projection, particularly in the slow movements. Yet the warm, clearly balanced engineering falls more agreeably on the ear in comparison to the overly resonant Lang Lang/Mehta and Argerich/Dutoit editions. Collectors seeking both Chopin concertos on one disc surely will enjoy this release over many repeated hearings, and that translates into a solid recommendation.
