Liszt Piano Works

[admiralackbar]

I've listened to a fair amount of Liszt's music for solo piano, but I'm not sure where to start in terms of my collection. What recordings do you all recommend? I'm particularly interested in the Transcendental Etudes, the Liebestraum, the Consolations, and the Years of Pilgrimage, but I'm also open to other recommendations in terms of works. I'd prefer to not spend a fortune, too.

[Scarpia]

One stop shopping!

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You might not want so much of it, of all by the same pianist, but there a big chunk of the best stuff here and Jorge Bolet was a superb exponent of Liszt.

[admiralackbar]

One stop shopping!

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You might not want so much of it, of all by the same pianist, but there a big chunk of the best stuff here and Jorge Bolet was a superb exponent of Liszt.

I've considered that set, but I've heard that Bolet was a bit past his prime when he recorded it. You recommend it none-the-less?

[Scarpia]

I've considered that set, but I've heard that Bolet was a bit past his prime when he recorded it. You recommend it none-the-less?

Yes.

[Bulldog]

Yes.

Seconded - The Bolet is a wonderful set.

[mc ukrneal]

I've listened to a fair amount of Liszt's music for solo piano, but I'm not sure where to start in terms of my collection. What recordings do you all recommend? I'm particularly interested in the Transcendental Etudes, the Liebestraum, the Consolations, and the Years of Pilgrimage, but I'm also open to other recommendations in terms of works. I'd prefer to not spend a fortune, too.

One recording I've enjoyed is the one below. Very good stuff. Finding a copy may be more difficult, but worth it. It is the Transcendental Etudes played by Russell Sherman and a second disc of Earl Wild - Demonic Liszt. Both are classics.
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Another alternative on the Transcendental Etudes is Arrau. Or, you can try the 1851 version performed quite well by Jando on Naxos. This one:
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Another disc of interest could be:


There are also numerous transcriptions discs including Bolet (as recommended or separate discs), Thibaudet, etc. Of course, you could also go all in with the new Leslie Howard Complete Liszt from Hyperion at 99 discs.

[Mandryka]

I've listened to a fair amount of Liszt's music for solo piano, but I'm not sure where to start in terms of my collection. What recordings do you all recommend? I'm particularly interested in the Transcendental Etudes, the Liebestraum, the Consolations, and the Years of Pilgrimage, but I'm also open to other recommendations in terms of works. I'd prefer to not spend a fortune, too.

Transcendental Etudes -- Richter; Gekic; Arrau
Years of Pilgrimage -- Fiorentino; Arrau

The recordings which mean the most to me are Levy in the sonata and Sofronitsky in the Dante Sonata

I also have enhoyed  Busoni in the Hungarian Rhapsody and Annie Fischer playing  Sospiro and Paderewski playing La Leggierezza and Cortot playing La Leggierezza and Alexis Weissenberg and Richter and Sofronitsky in the Petrarchan Sonets and Gould in Beethoven's 6th symphony and Sofronitsky in Schubert/Lsizt and Cziffra in the 1950s recordings of the Hungarian Rhapsodies for Hungaroton (be careful -- you need the right ones) and Yudina in BWV 543 and Arrau in the second ballade and Richter and Arrau in the big sonata and Ervin Nyiregyhazi  in St Francis Walking on the Water and Kempff in the Legends and Raymond Lewenthal playing Hexameron

Two recent discoveries which have been giving me a lot of pleasure are Howard's performance of the Symphonie Fantastique and the Hummel Septet

[Lethevich]

That Bolet box is phenomonal. My favourite Annees (excluding Bolet's incomplete set) is:

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Which is just magnificent.

[Scarpia]

That Bolet box is phenomonal. My favourite Annees (excluding Bolet's incomplete set) is:

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Which is just magnificent.

Yes that is terrific.

Also, any of the Arrau recordings on Philips are very good.  I have them in a boxed collection, but it seems that nowadays you can pick them up in a series of single discs or 2cd sets.

[George]

I second the recommendations for the Berman set and any Gekic Liszt.

For a mellower side of Liszt, I really like Barenboim here:

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[admiralackbar]

Thanks, everyone, for the recommendations! I appreciate it.

It seems like the Bolet box, the Berman box, and the various Arrau discs on Philips are a good place for me to start.

[George]

Thanks, everyone, for the recommendations! I appreciate it.

It seems like the Bolet box, the Berman box, and the various Arrau discs on Philips are a good place for me to start.

Here's another plug for Gekic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PTe7808pzk

[Kontrapunctus]

In my opinion, Lazar Berman owns the Transcendental Etudes.

[Todd]

In addition to the recordings mentioned already, it may be worth seeking out a fine EMI twofer with Vladimir Ovchinnikov playing the Transcendental Etudes.  It is superb.  The other disc includes other pianists, including Jeanne-Marie Darré, playing various works.  Cziffra's Liszt box (the five disc EMI set) is worth considering, as are Arcadi Volodos' forays into the composer's music.  Yukio Yokoyama's take on the Transcendental Etudes ain't none too shabby, either.

[Holden]

In addition to the recordings mentioned already, it may be worth seeking out a fine EMI twofer with Vladimir Ovchinnikov playing the Transcendental Etudes.  It is superb.  The other disc includes other pianists, including Jeanne-Marie Darré, playing various works.  Cziffra's Liszt box (the five disc EMI set) is worth considering, as are Arcadi Volodos' forays into the composer's music.  Yukio Yokoyama's take on the Transcendental Etudes ain't none too shabby, either.

Seconded for the Ovchinnikov TEs - they are unsurpassed IMO. Other Recordings you might like to consider are





For the Liszt sonata there are awesome recordings by Cziffra, Richter, Levy and Terence Judd.

But here is a good place to start.



To me Cziffra was almost Liszt reincarnated and once you get beyond the bravura stuff he produces some of the most profound and inspired Liszt I've ever heard. His Liszt B minor will blow you away not because of its virtuoso approach but because of it's depth of feeling and passion. The recording ends and you have been so involved you can't even applaud. On my first hearing I couldn't put on another piece of music as it I would not have been able to listen to it.

[admiralackbar]

I'll probably start with that 2 CD set. Seems like a good entry into Liszt.

That's high praise for Cziffra! I'll add it to the wish list.

I have Argerich in the Sonata and the 6th Hungarian Rhapsody. Good stuff.

[Mandryka]

I'll probably start with that 2 CD set. Seems like a good entry into Liszt.

That's high praise for Cziffra! I'll add it to the wish list.

I have Argerich in the Sonata and the 6th Hungarian Rhapsody. Good stuff.

I'd listen on youtube first, unless you intend to really build a Liszt library. There are very different styles at stake here. You may find that Arrau's TEs are just not the sort of thing you're looking for and Ovchinnikov  or Richter's or  Gekics or Berman's are. And then there are two Berman recordings -- rather different. I have all this stuff, and I can see good things in all of it.

Cziffra was born to play Liszt. Sometimes he was hors concours . The recordings he made for Hungaraton, and the concert from Japan, are all astonishing.

There's a spiritual side to Liszt which you may like -- Fiorentino has a CD stuffed full of this type of music.

And there are good young Liszt pianists in addition to Cziffra -- Semet for example.  Pietro de Maria's Liszt will be worth hearing, if he ever plays it.

[Holden]

There's a spiritual side to Liszt which you may like -- Fiorentino has a CD stuffed full of this type of music.

AAAhhhh - how could I forget Fiorentino?  Cziffra is also excellent in the spiritual aspect

[George]

I add another vote for Cziffra in Liszt.

[admiralackbar]

Cziffra and Bolet both look like good options. I'll keep my eyes open for a sale on either one or both of these boxes. Thanks again everyone!