Cristina Ortiz is beautifully recorded in London's Henry Wood Hall; although on big speakers the bass may want balancing back a little, on smaller ones the effect is very realistic and full-timbred. Her recital covers a wide range of repertoire and readily demonstrates the pianist's versatility. But the playing itself, although finished and stylistically sound, lacks incandescence and the kind of spontaneity which gives the impression of live music-making.
The opening Chopin Nocturne is undoubtedly poetic yet curiously reserved in atmosphere, and the introduction to Mendelssohn's Rondo capriccioso also seems rather matter-of-fact, although both here and especially in the sparkling Moszkowski Etude there is some attractively light and brilliant articulation. The programme suddenly comes fully to life with her account of Rachmaninov's Prelude in G major, Op. 32 No. 5, a magical piece, played seductively, but the other Rachmaninov pieces are less compelling, and in the Scriabin I did not feel a great deal of lambent fire underlying the surface of the music. The Liszt pieces, too, are well played rather than memorable.
Cristina Ortiz ends with Dame Myra Hess's famous arrangement of Bach's ''Jesu joy of man's desiring'' which is agreeable enough, until one turns to Moura Lympany's performance which opens her superb bargain-priced EMI Laser recital. Here the playing captivates by its utter simplicity of line and Moura Lympany—now in her seventies—goes on to astonish with a programme that is as poetic as it is technically assured. Daquin's Le coucou is delightful, the famous Handel Harmonious Blacksmith variations are wonderfully alive and spontaneous, and the Debussy and Ravel impressionist evocations are full of imagination. The two Chopin numbers sparkle, the delicious Albeniz Malaguena has an engaging Spanish glitter, while both the Schumann ''Prophet bird'' and Satie's Gymnopedie have great delicacy of feeling. The closing Scriabin Etude has not quite the authority of Horowitz (for whom it was a favourite encore) but it is still played with passion and flair.
The piano recording, made at Abbey Road, Studio No. 1 is admirably real and vivid—the sound is bolder, slightly less sonorous than the Collins CD, and this can be counted as among the most desirable piano recitals in the catalogue, recommendable quite apart from its bargain status and generous contents (seven minutes longer than the Collins CD at full price!). And if you haven't already discovered Moura Lympany's Volume 1 (EMI Laser (Budget price) (Full price)LZ 762523-2; (CD) CDZ7 62523-2) which is hardly less generous and attractive, let me recommend that too.'