As beautiful as they are and as wonderful as it is to hear them, one can only regret the inclusion of
Rudolf Serkin's recording of Schubert's Moments Musicaux on this disc otherwise given to his recordings of Schumann's Piano Concerto and Introduction and Allegro appassionato with
Eugene Ormandy and the
Philadelphia Orchestra. Their inclusion implies two inevitable conclusions: that
Serkin's recording of Schumann's Introduction and Allegro with
Ormandy and the
Philadelphia will probably not be reissued and that
Serkin's other Schubert recordings might never be reissued.
This would be a shame. All three of
Serkin's recordings of Schumann's works for piano and orchestra were easily among the best ever made -- indeed, his recordings of the Introduction and Allegro appassionato and Introduction and Allegro have yet to be bettered -- and together on a single disc they would be unbeatable. And all
Serkin's Schubert recordings were easily among the best ever made -- indeed, his recording of the late Sonata in A major has never been bettered -- and the more of them that are available, the better. But still, the performances here are so soulful, so inward, so lyrical, and so profound that it would be hard to resist this disc, despite its dire implications. Sony's remastering of Columbia's original stereo recordings is cleaner, rounder, and more real than many of its digital recordings.