Walter Meyer wrote in part:

>...And "The Catalan Piano Tradition" a CD of mainly historical interest
>(w/ cylinders of Albeniz playing his own works, Malats, playing works by
>himself, Chopin, Liszt, and a mutilated Wagner-Liszt "Isolde's Love Death"
>among other curiosities.  I liked mainly the more "modern" (1932) recording
>of Frank Marshall accompanying Conchita Supervia singing Granados and
>Alicia de la Rocha playing Chopin at the age of nine.  VAI/IPA 1001-VAI
>(US$5.99)

Simply put, this CD is extraordinary and one of the fundamental documents
of pianism in the 20th century in that it contains one-of-a-kind privately
made cylinders of both Albeniz and Granados playing just after the turn
of the last century and, importantly, documents as well the rare art of
improvization.  It dwarfs nearly all of the the Philips great piano CD
series in importance.  No one interested in the piano should miss at least
hearing these recordings.  In addition Marshall, de Larrocha's teacher,
avoided making recordings and the CD documents all of his output.  Most of
this material was once available on LP and even the LP is considered rare.

Jim Hunsley