Rossini The Complete Works For Piano by Paolo Giacometti Channel

Rossini's operatic renown overshadows the considerable merits of his prolific and shamefully underrated "post-retirement" piano output. These works abound with wit, harmonic sophistication, and virtuoso flair, yet it's puzzling how most pianists ignore them. There are exceptions, of course. Aldo Ciccolini and Dino Ciani made classic Rossini recordings, while three complete cycles are in various states of progress, including front-runner Paolo Giacometti, whose sixth volume mainly features large-scale works.The longest, Specimen de l'Ancien Régime, sometimes recalls the uncomplicated, entertaining spirit of Chopin's Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise. If only Giacometti's solid, forthright performance made more of Rossini's dynamic extremes in the introduction (Frederic Chiu's relatively subjective, poetic playing sings more), or broached the final section with more sparkle and swing in the manner of Ciccolini. On the other hand, Giacometti works himself up over the Prélude Pétulant-Rococo's climaxes, where he takes full sonorous advantage of his 1858 Erard's unusually resonant bass register. Un Espoir's frilly right-hand arabesques dance right off the page, while the concluding Bolero Tartare is elegantly pointed and buoyant in Giacometti's hands, as he easily tosses off its difficult runs and roulades. The close-up yet atmospheric engineering especially comes into its own when playing this hybrid disc with the surround-sound option. [1/5/2006]
--Jed Distler, ClassicsToday.com