Two and a half years ago, Daniel Barenboim returned to Buenos Aires, his birthplace, to mark the 50th anniversary of his debut recital. That first appearance had taken place in a modest recital hall, but for the celebration Barenboim played in the city's famous opera house. It's understandable that such an event should be turned into a commercial disc.
However, the sense of occasion seems to have mattered far more than the quality of the music-making. This is not a good example of the mature Barenboim's pianistic gifts: the only substantial works here - Mozart's C major Sonata K330 and Beethoven's Appassionata Sonata - receive listless, mannered performances, and the varied collection of encore pieces that make up the rest of the disc (was this his whole recital?) range between the energetically successful and the drably dutiful. For Barenboim completists only.
