Schiff's execution is brilliant throughout but his interpretative vision is sometimes unsteady. The CD conveys a vivid sense of the instrument's presence—at times rather too vivid, and I needed to play it at a lower volume level than usual. This relates to the impression made by Schiff's playing, which in quieter passages is acutely sensitive, as in the Suite's moving molto tranquillo; the finale is a fine example of his rhythmic acuity, each detail being extremely accurate yet the entire movement flowing with natural life. But sometimes he is too demonstrative, as in the first of the Hungarian peasant songs, or the last of the Romanian folkdances. This seems particularly unfortunate in the latter cycle, where Schiff is otherwise responsive to the exact flavour of every melodic interval and harmony.
The Rondos are less satisfactory, especially No. 1, where his tone in louder passages is not so cultivated as one might have hoped. Though of course far less well recorded, Gabor Gabos's accounts of these Rondos, and indeed of the Hungarian peasant songs and the Dance suite, on the old LP Hungaroton complete Bartok edition (SLPX11337, 7/74—nla) are, I find, better integrated and more satisfying. Schiff's contain many splendid moments yet even after several hearings do not quite establish themselves as wholes. The note in the accompanying booklet makes no reference to these specific works.'