Balakirev's meaty B minor sonata--a rarity in performance--has fared well on disc, mainly with British pianists, including Louis Kentner, Albert Ferber, Malcolm Binns, Ronald Smith, Donna Amato, and Gordon Fergus-Thompson. While the latter two bring a wider dynamic compass to the outer movements, Wild's bedrock tempos, instinct for shaping the music's introspective melodies, and rhythmic élan in the Mazurka movement yield to no competition. Wild gives Chopin's Impromptus a brisk makeover and imbues the writing with infinitely varied articulation and color shadings (for my definition of Nirvana, check out Wild's fleet, detaché playing in the Fantasie-Impromptu). What's more, he achieves all of this with virtually no pedal.

And who but Earl Wild could fashion so well crafted, harmonically sophisticated, and unabashedly entertaining a transcription of the Mexican Hat Dance? It doesn't hurt that Wild has a gorgeous piano at his disposal (a Shigeru Kawai EX Concert Grand), and that the engineering does ample justice to both instrument and artist. When you hear this disc, you'll believe in miracles. Buy it. [1/14/2004]