Following on from her really remarkable Rachmaninov CD (Denon CO-1054, 12/86), Helene Grimaud can be heard here in a second release of highly demanding pieces from the romantic repertoire, and pieces that have been recorded by the great artists of our time. At 18 she is already a magnificent artist and I only hope that she manages to retain this degree of quality. Nothing is immature, and there is never a hint of display for display's sake.
The Schumann F sharp Sonata is a tricky number. The lightning changes of pace and mood require the pianist to follow one manically excited passage with another that is full of heartfelt yearning, and yet still remain poised. Grimaud takes risks, and allied to her natural feeling for the larger musical forms, her mastery of every detail of the polyphonic writing is second to none. Maybe the Intermezzo section of the Scherzo could have done with more pomposity, but all the fast passages throughout the work come off with a rhythmic clarity that is never prissy, but integral to a thorough appreciation of the score.
The Chopin Ballade is very much a tour de force, brimming over with confidence and accurately paced climaxes that never stray beyond the bounds of her technique. However, for me it is the Dante Sonata that is the most stunning. With a slightly more colourful recorded piano tone this would have been a classic version. There is none of that rather jaded familiarity with which more famous artists approach the piece on disc. Grimaud offers something deeply personal, with the visionary serenity seeming to lie alongside the dynamic and powerful as one perfectly ordered experience. The performance is superior in technique to Alfred Brendel's (Philips 420 169-2PH 1/88), and especially in Grimaud's presto tempo right at the end, where Brendel's over-careful handling leads to anti-climax. Piano sound is acceptable, without being especially pleasant.'