While lightweight, encore-type fare dominates this splendidly transferred anthology recorded between 1933 and 1939, the Tasmanian born Eileen Joyce is no trifling pianist. At 21 she made two of the greatest piano recordings ever: a feathery Liszt La Leggeierezza and Paul de Schlözer’s criminally difficult Etude in A-flat, both included here. Her poise, spirit, and effortless technique abound in selected Grieg Lyric Pieces, three Rachmaninov Preludes, beautifully shaded Fauré (the F Minor Impromptu) and Debussy (the Toccata from Pour le Piano), plus yummy “cream of corn” penned by Palmgren, Sinding, Moszkowski, Scott, Bergman, Dohnanyi, and d’Albert. In fact, Joyce plays the Gieseking/Strauss Standchen better than the transcriber himself! The opening work is mistakenly listed as Bach’s Prelude & Fugue in A minor BWV 894–it’s actually the Fantasy & Fugue BWV 944. Bryce Morrison adds a moving personal memoir to his informative notes, topping off a release that will cause all self-respecting piano mavens to, ahem, “Re-Joyce”!
