Lost with Liszt

[Mark]

Liszt is a composer about whom I know little beyond his prowess at the keyboard, and whose works I've heard few of besides a handful of popular piano pieces and four of the symphonic poems. So what I'm looking for is a guide to where I should begin with this composer.

Which works of his can be considered essential hearing? Which performers bring out the best in Liszt? Is it better to target individual recordings, or go for one (sensibly priced) boxed set?

All comments and recommendations gratefully received. Thanks in advance.

[m_gigena]

THE MOST ESSENTIAL LISZT EVER:

Richter/Kondrashin on the live recording of the piano concertos. Not the Philips release, that's a studio one. The one I have is a BBC Legends, including the Hungarian Fantasy and Chopin's Op22.

and

the hungarian rhapsodies + Spanish rhapsody by Cziffra.

others:
Trascendental Etudes by Berezovsky (there are very good pirate recordings out there).
Années de Pelerinage by Ciccolini.
Assorted piano works by Cziffra: Gnomergeigen etude, Valse-Impromptu...

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Which performers bring out the best in Liszt?

The key to Liszt is finding a performer who:

A) believes in Liszt enough to search for his elusive soul
B) has the chops to fully realize the pianistic razzle-dazzle.

What I've heard of Leslie Howard's complete Liszt on Hyperion has plenty of B but not enough of A for me.

Jorge Bolet (Decca or Ensayo) is better at both A and B but still not enough to displace the best.

Now, John Ogdon is a fine Liszt interpreter. Plenty of both A and B. Unfortunately little of his Liszt is available. If you can find it there's a wonderful recital disc on Testament.

Arrau and Ciccolini are good but still behind the best for me.

Enter Richter and Cziffra. Two names that say it all in Liszt. A and B in abundance (understatement). Both of whom make fast work of Liszt's prickly keyboard passages as well as make every attempt to identify with his emotional heart.

Sounds easy!

But it's a rare thing...at least on disc.

[Holden]

Oh - where to start?

Start with this box set by Cziffra


In it you get great versions of the Transcendental Etudes, Hungarian Rhaposdies, B minor sonata and other well known Liszt works plus some not so well known.

For individual recordings here are my choices

TEs Ovchinikov (EMI)or Arrau or Cziffra

B minor sonata Cziffra or Richter or Gilels or Ernst Levi

PCs Richter on Philips '50'

Paganini Etudes - Ousset on EMI

Annees de Pelerinage - well the Cziffra is nla so you've got a wide choice here.

Concert Etudes - Arrau

[rubio]

The key to Liszt is finding a performer who:

A) believes in Liszt enough to search for his elusive soul
B) has the chops to fully realize the pianistic razzle-dazzle.

What I've heard of Leslie Howard's complete Liszt on Hyperion has plenty of B but not enough of A for me.

Jorge Bolet (Decca or Ensayo) is better at both A and B but still not enough to displace the best.

Now, John Ogdon is a fine Liszt interpreter. Plenty of both A and B. Unfortunately little of his Liszt is available. If you can find it there's a wonderful recital disc on Testament.

Arrau and Ciccolini are good but still behind the best for me.

Enter Richter and Cziffra. Two names that say it all in Liszt. A and B in abundance (understatement). Both of whom make fast work of Liszt's prickly virtuosic passages as well as make every attempt to identify with Liszt's emotional heart.

Sounds easy!

But it's a rare thing...at least on disc.

So which Annees de Pelerinage would you recommend? Berman, Ciccolini, Bolet or somebody else? What do you think of Lazar Berman's Liszt in general?

[Bonehelm]

Start with watching this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmq5JBpFf9w

Now no video recording of Liszt will impress you the same way again 

[sidoze]

quite possibly the best performance of La Campanella since the old recording of a particular Liszt pupil

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtS8Yrw12QQ

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

A little-known area of Liszt's output is his songs. I've only heard a few of them, but my favorite is Oh Quand je dors!, which is a very beautiful song indeed! The version I have is with the incomparable Jenny Tourel but I am interested in finding more recordings of his other songs by other performers.

If you like the concerto No. 1, I highly recommend Julius Katchen's performance.

[Grazioso]

Many major piano works, played gloriously.



The major orchestral works. Haven't heard this one myself yet, but it's well reviewed, afaik.

[Mark]

Thank you to all for the above. Plenty for me to investigate.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

So which Annees de Pelerinage would you recommend? Berman, Ciccolini, Bolet or somebody else? What do you think of Lazar Berman's Liszt in general?

Had completely forgotten about Berman!

Thanks for bringing that up.

Yes, for a complete Annees I'd give Berman the nod. 

[Brian]

I'm going to some previous comments in regards to (a) Leslie Howard's not the best, (b) Cziffra's Hungarian Rhapsodies are mandatory, (c) you need to hear at least the first two Annees. However, you might (as would I) be a little afraid to plunk down for a giant box set just to see if you like Liszt's music. One fairly easy introduction would be the recital disc with Ethella Chuprik - she has all the subtlety of a freight train, which rather befits the pieces being played (Sonata in B minor, Mephisto Waltz No. 1, etc), and actually I think that her interpretations all around are very good, well done. The disc costs $3. In the end, you might do well to jump into the output of Cziffra and Richter, but for a risk-free sampler (and a quite good recording of the Sonata) Ms. Chuprik does an exceptionally fine job.   

Other Liszt discs I have:
Orchestrated Hungarian rhapsodies - Dorati/LSO. Most of them come off well, but frankly the orchestration of the legendary No. 2 is ... well ... a piece of junk. Actually, so was Liszt's. Better to stick to the piano versions, though.
Piano Concerti - Cziffra/Cziffra Jr. conducting. Haven't listened to it yet, because I hear the First Concerto and think of the M*A*S*H theme song and then it's just ruined for me.
Hungarian Rhapsodies - Roberto Szidon. A controversial set, but I'm not sure why.
After a Reading of Dante - Barry Douglas. A slower than usual version, pretty good. I don't listen to it any more, though:
After a Reading of Dante - Jeno Jando. Frankly, after hearing this revelatory performance (who said Jando was impersonal?) I just can't listen to the Douglas version.

[Grazioso]

After a Reading of Dante - Jeno Jando. Frankly, after hearing this revelatory performance (who said Jando was impersonal?) I just can't listen to the Douglas version.

Fwiw, I also quite enjoy Jando's Liszt.

[Drasko]

Orchestrated Hungarian rhapsodies

6 Hungarian Rhapsodies  Westminster XWN18190   
"1954 September 17 - 18, 20 - 21, 23 - 30 "         
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Hermann Scherchen, recorded in
Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London
http://rapidshare.com/files/27419846/Liszt_6_Hungarian_Rhapsodies_Scherchen__mono_.rar

[George]

If I know Mark (and I believe I do) he will want to hear Hough's DDD Liszt recital on the Virgin budget two-fer.

[Mark]

If I know Mark (and I believe I do) he will want to hear Hough's DDD Liszt recital on the Virgin budget two-fer.

You, George, know my peculiarities too well. That's one I'll definitely check out, thanks.

[m_gigena]

You should also step into Bolet's Tannhauser overture.

[SimonGodders]

You should also step into Bolet's Tannhauser overture.

Yes! Assume you mean this CD, it's a cracking disc:



This CD also contains some of the best Liszt playing in existence:



And would second any Cziffra/Liszt discs, partic. the EMI box

[carlos]

About the great Sonata, after Barer and first Horowitz,
nothing else matters.
Cziffra had 2 complete recordings of Rhapsodies. I much
prefer the second, absolutely crazy and just like Ferencz
would like it.

[sidoze]

If I know Mark (and I believe I do) he will want to hear Hough's DDD Liszt recital on the Virgin budget two-fer.

You should also step into Bolet's Tannhauser overture.

live Carnegie

About the great Sonata, after Barer

agreed