Volume Four of Naxos’ complete survey of Benno Moiseiwitsch’s shellac recordings brings us his Rachmaninov First and Second Concertos plus the Paganini Rhapsody (he never recorded the Third and Fourth concertos). Ward Marston’s transfers benefit from clean source material, seamless side joins, and a sensible non-interventionist philosophy. The relaxed élan Moiseiwitsch brings to his pre-war Paganini Rhapsody (along with more technical poise than his 1955 EMI remake) is quite different from the composer’s more aloof, statuesque brand of virtuosity–and equally convincing. If I ultimately prefer the latter it’s because Stokowski’s Philadelphia Orchestra is balanced in truer proportion, notwithstanding the faded sonics. While Marston’s program note acknowledges the close-up, dry sound of the Moiseiwitsch/Goehr Rach Two, the sound takes nothing away from the pianist’s aristocratic phrasing and warm, singing tone. He truly shines in the slow movement, shaping the apreggiated figures with plenty of warmth and flexibility and (thankfully) no schmaltz. Again, Moiseiwitsch surpasses his later EMI version.
The First Concerto boasts noticeably better sound than its discmates. Moiseiwitsch rises to the music’s lyrical surges in the first two movements but doesn’t match the composer’s inexorable, even demonic rhythmic drive and scintillating fingerwork in both the finale and the difficult first-movement cadenza. Overall, I feel Moiseiwitsch’s concerted Rachmaninov recordings don’t bear that special mark of distinction exhibited by his best solo efforts on this composer’s behalf; neither do they match Rachmaninov’s individualistic keyboard authority. Still, there are plenty of felicities for Moiseiwitsch fans to savor, the transfers are top notch, and the price unbeatable.
