Zoltan Kocsis always has shown great flair for Rachmaninov’s singular pianistic idiom as well as the brains to make all the solo works on this classic 1995 release sound like music rather than gymnastics. He may not play the F-sharp minor Op. 23 No. 1 and C minor Op. 23 No. 7 Preludes so translucently as Richter (who does?), but the textural clarity, shapely bass lines, and effortless momentum are of the highest technical and musical order. Kocsis’ siciliana-like treatment of the F minor and B minor Op. 32 Preludes is a welcome corrective to the heavy, literal, and ultimately lifeless performances many young pianists favor today. He springs forth the F minor Op. 33 No. 1 Étude-tableau with galvanizing rhythmic verve and incisive accents.
These qualities run rampant throughout the B-flat minor sonata. Here Kocsis triumphantly tangles on Horowitz and Weissenberg’s febrile turf, keeping his cushy, full-bodied tone intact nearly at all times. Moreover, Kocsis’ hair-trigger articulation and sixth sense for when to linger or push ahead make Rachmaninov’s upholstered original 1913 text sound nearly as compact as his pared-down 1931 revision. Now is the time to reconnect with this wonderful disc, splendidly remastered at midprice. [5/23/2007]
