>>Les Cloches de Geneve; Dante Sonata; Venice & Naples; Rigoletto Paraphrase;
>Un Sospiro; Liebeslied; Gnomenreigen; Hungarian Rhapsody 9
>
>This gifted young Bulgarian pianist has achieved distinguished performances in this very attractive program that should draw the attention of all Liszt devotees. The opening piece, which Liszt composed for his eldest daughter, Blandine, is given a remarkably evocative reading, more effective than any I have previously heard. Vlaeva's Dante Sonata ranks among the top recordings of this challenging work, which Affred Brendel calls Liszt's most Berliozian piano piece. I still favor Mocsari's performance (Hungaroton) for its excitement, but Vlaeva shrouds it with more atmosphere.
Her Venezia & Napoli is captivating too, but faces daunting competition from Fialkowska's sublime version (Musica Viva). And Vlaeva's Rigoletto Paraphrase cannot rival Bolet's (London), her Sospiro is overshadowed by Lamond (Pearl) and Hamelin (M&A), and her Schumann-Lisz Liebeslied by Rubinstein (RCA) and Fialkowska. From the most critical perspective, these are the Everest versions, yet Vlaeva's playing of these works needs no apologies. Her Gnomenreigen and Hungarian Rhapsody are as fine as any on records.
I would say that her most remarkable pianistic talents are purely musical ones - nuance, tonal shading, expressivity, pacing - while her technique, though completely sufficient to achieve her musical goals, never assumes a role for itself. Recorded sound is excellent - natural and warm.

David Mulbury