It is often interesting to hear the Russians play French music, a recent instance being Gilel's fascinating Ravel fragments (HMV SLS2900113, 6/84). Alas, it is impossible to discuss Egorov's 28 performances here as they deserve, although the virtuosity displayed in ''Ce qu'a vu le vent d'Ouest'', Les tierces alternees'' and ''Feux d'artifice'' (all Preludes) hints at the great range of pianistic craft distilled in these extremely musical interpretations. ''Reflets dans l'eau'', sole representative of the Images, is everywhere finely calculated, beautifully flowing, the piano tone inflected acutely to convey the music's meaning. ''Pagodes'', from Estampes, is extraordinarily evocative, also, as is ''Des pas sur la neige'', a distant snowscape, remote, deserted. Egorov's is Debussy playing of a very high order indeed.
''Voiles'', among the most original of the Preludes, here sounds picturesque yet timeless, ''Les sons et les parfums'' is sensuous but refined. ''Les collines d'Anacapri'' is full of sensitive colours,, as are ''Canope'' and ''La terrasse des audiences au clair de lune''. Strangely, ''Ondine'' is handled with less sympathy than the rest, yet Egorov rather surprisingly copes well with the ragtime elements in ''Minstrels'' and ''General Lavine'', although the latter is a bit fast. So one could go on, noting the fluid delicacy of ''Les fees sont d'exquises danseuses'', the subtle way that the registral contrasts of ''Feuilles mortes'' and ''La soiree dans Grenade'' are handled. ''La danse de Puck'' is gracefully incisive, ''La cathedrale engloutie'' attains to an uncommon grandeur, and ''La serenade interrompue'' is one of Egorov's most original interpretations, deft, dry, hence unusually clear. And all this is caught by a fine recording.'