Recorded in 1964/65 for Deutsche Grammophon, Tamás Vásáry’s Chopin concertos chiefly stand out for the Hungarian pianist’s beguiling, expansive slow movements. His graceful, exceptionally clean fingerwork is full of colorful refinement without underplaying the climaxes, as he tends to do in the outer movements. János Kulka’s sturdy yet plodding accompaniments, though, suffer from iron-poor blood, soggy rhythm, and occasional intonation problems unworthy of the Berlin Philharmonic. While we might miss the lilting gait and emotional force served up by Argerich (EMI), Biret (Naxos), Rubinstein (RCA), or Kissin (RCA), Vásáry’s internalized, authoritative playing convinces on its own lyrical terms, and the engineering hasn’t dated a bit.
