The late Sergio Fiorentino’s posthumous recording career takes a glorious, heartfelt turn in this Schumann collection. The C major Fantasy, recorded in 1996 when the pianist was 69, soars with emotional contrast and a sonority that sings in a direct, uncluttered way. Fiorentino negotiates the second movement’s knotty dotted rhythms and dangerous skips accurately and without making a stunt of the music. He also takes care with Schumann’s stepwise bass lines and makes natural sense of the inner voices. The Arabeske is paced to sing, and comes closest to matching Rubinstein’s exquisitely timed 1961 Carnegie Hall version (RCA). Like Wilhelm Kempff, Fiorentino isn’t about to outrace younger whippersnappers like Argerich (Philips), yet the older pianist gets to the finish line first. The first of the Op. 21 Novelettes and the gorgeous F-sharp Romance emerge from Fiorentino’s supple hands like liquid bronze, as do his effective transcriptions of the songs Die Lotosblume and Widmung. APR discs are not cheap, but piano enthusiasts will get a substantial return on their investment. A beautiful disc.
