Disc one begins with crown jewels from Wilhelm Kempff’s early-1950s Beethoven sonata cycle, played with gentle flair, stylish bite, and caressing micro-nuances. The pianist’s more robust, elemental side emerges to convincing effect in the unfinished Schubert sonata, while the Mozart and Schumann selections glimmer with pinpointed passagework that can’t help but sing. Kempff’s temperament is well suited to Fauré’s reticent sensibility and subtle harmonic palette. If I harbor any reservations about Kempff’s 1953 Brahms Rhapsodies, it’s because his early 1970s Deutsche Grammophon remakes are more technically assured and leaner in profile. Still, the last of Philips’ three “Great Pianists” volumes devoted to Kempff makes an ideal introduction for listeners unfamiliar with this pianist’s gently seasoned artistry.
