Sonya Bach studied with both Alicia de Larrocha and Lazar Berman, so it’s no surprise that in her hands A Night on the Bare Mountain – or, more accurately, its cousin twice removed, Konstantin Chernov’s transcription of Rimsky-Korsakov’s adaptation – is bold in outline and solid in technique. What is a surprise is the indifference to Mussorgsky’s spirit that bleaches out the rest of her recital. The four short pieces are especially disappointing. Years ago, Mussorgsky’s miniatures were widely considered, to borrow John Warrack’s words, ‘of little account’ (5/97). Bach’s performances – slow in tempo, neutral in colour and sometimes literal-minded in their handling of rhythms – do little to counteract that reputation. Neither the folk inflections nor the atmosphere, much less the quirks of harmony and construction, come across.

Pictures at an Exhibition is sporadically more compelling. You’re apt to be drawn in by the mystery Bach evokes in ‘Il vecchio castello’, just as you’re likely to be charmed by the sharp wit of the ‘Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks’. The bustle of ‘Limoges’ comes across vividly, too. Too often, though, Bach stifles the character of the music, offering plain-spoken composure when Mussorgsky invites a certain degree of recklessness. The rambunctious children in the Tuileries have clearly been held in check by hard-hearted governesses – and Harriet Smith’s complaint (7/20) that Bach wasn’t able to transcend the exercise aspect of Chopin’s Études might well be levelled against the earthbound scales in ‘Great Gate’ here.

The Chernov extravaganza is sufficiently rare and Bach’s performance sufficiently thrilling that lovers of piano transcriptions might want to give this release a try. Otherwise, decent engineering notwithstanding, this is not a top priority.