Alicia de Larrocha - Complete EMI Recordings (2010)

EMI's eight-CD box set of Alicia de Larrocha's early recordings is entirely devoted to the works of Spanish composers, whose music she championed for decades. Most of the tracks were originally recorded on Hispavox in the 1960s, though an additional recording from 1992 helps round out the package, while the final disc offers her 1971 Hunter College recital with soprano Victoria de los Angeles. For the most part, the compilation is a generous survey of piano music by Antonio Soler, Enriqué Granados, Isaac Albéniz, Manuel de Falla, Joaquín Turina, and a piano concerto by Xavier Montsalvatge; the song recital also includes selections by Antonio Literes, Blas de Laserna, and Gerónimo Giménez, so the presentation covers Spanish compositions from the Classical to the modern eras. De Larrocha was greatly admired for her dedication to this repertoire, and her legacy starts with these recordings, which have been remastered to have the best possible sound. The crispness of the reproduction reveals the precision and delicacy of de Larrocha's playing, and the closeness of the recordings in many cases gives her realistic presence. While de Larrocha is perhaps best remembered for the music offered here, her discography on other labels includes her great recordings of works by Haydn, Mozart, Chopin, and Debussy, so this package only gives a partial view of her numerous accomplishments.