"I wish I could recommend this disc more highly, but I have tried 3 copies, all of which had serious distortion on disc 1 at medium to high volume. This performance was originally recorded for Spanish Hispavox and released in the US on Columbia. The LPs had problematic sound, but I hoped this would be cleaned up on the CD. I actually prefer this performance of Iberia to the later one on Decca, although that one is also up to DeLarrocha's high standard. Maybe I've just had bad luck with copies (though 3 bad ones seems pretty odd)."
Top notch piano playing of beautiful Spanish music.
piano lover | Boston, MA | 09/21/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This recording is of truly top notch piano playing which undeniably surpasses either of Larrocha's other two recordings of Iberia because of it's supreame technical mastery, rhythmic vitality and corloristic wizardry and ease of these fiendishly difficult, yet beautiful works. Complaints about sound quality in this recording are irrelevant, especially since it is not that pronounced. Besides, one who listens to the great recordings of Cortot, Rachmaninov, Hoffman, etc. knows the value of the actual performance over the sound quality."
Why buy this?
Redgecko | USA | 06/16/2006
(2 out of 5 stars)
"I wouldn't buy a CD with serious sound issues as more than one reviewer said. Also, the Suite Espanola is incomplete and is missing 3 pieces including Asturias, one of my favorites."
You can buy another CD by the same performer
Antonio | Madrid Spain | 10/28/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Dear all,
I understand your complains about this CD. You have the complete work by Alicia de Larrocha on a DECCA record Catalog #: 417887. I found it on ArkivMusic.
The reasons of my stars is due to the edition. Both music and performance are superb."