classical music for the solo piano which hits all the 'keys'.

Performer Joyce Wang

Recording ’Wild Dreams" AVIE AV2261

Composers - Rachmaninov incl his transcriptions, Hindemith, Bartock, and Schumann

This is a recording which went unnoticed in my collection for a long time but hit my CD player this morning as I was looking for something ’different’. For some context I absolutely love solo piano recitals and I have a very competent audio system for this music.

Wang’s performance (talent and execution) is, to my ears, near perfect.

The music itself by 4 very different composers is very well selected to affect the title Wild Dreams. It is some of the most relaxing (not boring!) music I have on hand (and I have a lot).

Ah, now comes the killer. In my system this is all, audio wise, that I can ask for. From the clarity it’s easy to imagine hearing the sound board. The room’s effect is heard but not pronounced. The sound, to my ears, is very linear tonally speaking. It is virtually impossible for me to listen/hear any audio related issues.

Needless to say, I find it hard, listening to the CD, to be either critical of the recording, the music, or the performance. I love it and highly recommend it.

YMMV, but it’s hard for me to imagine that you wouldn’t agree.