Raff : Œuvres pour piano, vol. 3. Nguyen.

Piano International (Mar, 2013)
British-Vietnamese pianist Tra Nguyen continues her journey through the piano music of Joachim Raff with this disc of premiere recordings, dominated by the Album lyrique of 1845. The five volumes that make up this work sum up the appeal and charm of this composer. Volume 1 comprises three Reveries; Nguyen keeps them moving nicely. The longing gestures of the Ballade (Volume 2) are also effective. One does, though, get the feeling that ideas are not always fleshed out by the composer before he moves on to the next task and, despite Nguyen’s unwavering advocacy, the work does seem overlong. The Chopinesque decorations of the First Nocturne (Volume 3) are charming, though, …