Franz Liszt (1811-86)

Spotted Horses · April 12, 2024, 07:02:00 AM

Just did a quick sample of three recordings of Années de pèlerinage I might listen to next, Korstick, Gorus and Angelich. Listening to Aux cyprès de la Villa d'Este I from each set, I must say Angelich made by far the strongest impression on me.

Mandryka · April 13, 2024, 11:00:44 AM

It's easy to forget stuff. I was very aware of Mykola Suk's Liszt around 2010, but I'd completely forgotten about him. The greatest Liszt player of his generation? Quite possibly. Just listen to this

https://open.spotify.com/album/3SNIZsgRvk5Rsd3oHnLRAA

https://mykolasuk.bandcamp.com/album/the-piano-artistry-of-mykola-suk-vol-2-tnc-1516

There's lots of concert recordings on youtube to explore later maybe.

lordlance · September 12, 2024, 03:38:58 PM

Listening to the solo piano reduction of the Totentanz and, my goodness, what a genuinely extraordinary piece... Perfectly symbolizes why I think no one writes for the piano like Liszt -

San Antone · September 12, 2024, 04:04:54 PM

Quote from: Mandryka on April 13, 2024, 11:00:44 AMIt's easy to forget stuff. I was very aware of Mykola Suk's Liszt around 2010, but I'd completely forgotten about him. The greatest Liszt player of his generation? Quite possibly.

I would not consider him "The greatest Liszt player of his generation". His performance of the B Minor Sonata is among the worst I've heard; sloppy and erratic.

Brian · September 12, 2024, 05:48:13 PM

Any thoughts on the original, chorus-free version of the Faust Symphony? A new recording is out on BIS this month. Is it the same as the later edition except for the final chorus?

Mandryka · December 25, 2024, 09:54:42 AM

Get ready to genuflect. The offertorium from Liszt's Hungarian Coronation Mass, orchestral version. New discovery for me.

Beethovenian grandeur, Lisztian intensity, Fauréen richness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCSgGiGxuTU

Albion · January 10, 2025, 02:47:35 PM

I'm currently working my way through the 34-CD DG "Liszt Collection" released for the bicentenary as a limited edition in 2011. I've always had a soft spot for Liszt and this is a pretty comprehensive set in terms of the main works across the various genres. The box is now very hard to find but it does occasionally turn up on ebay. If you see a copy, grab it with both hands - you'll have loads of fun...

San Antone · January 10, 2025, 03:35:02 PM

Quote from: Albion on January 10, 2025, 02:47:35 PMI'm currently working my way through the 34-CD DG "Liszt Collection" released for the bicentenary as a limited edition in 2011. I've always had a soft spot for Liszt and this is a pretty comprehensive set in terms of the main works across the various genres. The box is now very hard to find but it does occasionally turn up on ebay. If you see a copy, grab it with both hands - you'll have loads of fun...

A very good basic collection of Liszt's major works.

Some of the performances are, IMO, among the best available, e.g. Zimerman's B Minor Sonata; Reinbert de Leeuw's Via Crucis, and Roberto Szidon's the Hungarian Rhapsodies; a fine collection of lieder sung by some of the best voices: DFD, Behrens, Fassbaender; more major solo piano music played by some great Liszt interpreters: Arrau, Bolet, and Berman.

One could do a lot worse. This box could make up a decent Liszt collection by itself.

Albion · January 11, 2025, 12:16:59 PM

Quote from: San Antone on January 10, 2025, 03:35:02 PMA very good basic collection of Liszt's major works.

Some of the performances are, IMO, among the best available, e.g. Zimerman's B Minor Sonata; Reinbert de Leeuw's Via Crucis, and Roberto Szidon's the Hungarian Rhapsodies; a fine collection of lieder sung by some of the best voices: DFD, Behrens, Fassbaender; more major solo piano music played by some great Liszt interpreters: Arrau, Bolet, and Berman.

One could do a lot worse. This box could make up a decent Liszt collection by itself.

Thanks! It's got everything I basically want with this set (beautifully packaged by DG, as was their Richard Strauss complete operas "cube"), and I've got the EMI Masur orchestral box as well. Hyperion's mammoth piano music set with Howard Shelley would be, for me personally, too much of a good thing and I could never envisage getting through all 95 discs enough times for the music that was unfamiliar to become familiar...

Der einsame Einsiedler · January 11, 2025, 12:31:33 PM

Quote from: Albion on January 11, 2025, 12:16:59 PMThanks! It's got everything I basically want with this set (beautifully packaged by DG, as was their Richard Strauss complete operas "cube"), and I've got the EMI Masur orchestral box as well. Hyperion's mammoth piano music set with Howard Shelley would be, for me personally, too much of a good thing and I could never envisage getting through all 95 discs enough times for the music that was unfamiliar to become familiar...

Allow me to say that the Leslie Howard Liszt box set is phenomenal. Sure, there are better performances of the more familiar piano works, but I cannot stress how consistently great the performances are and, of course, the audio quality and overall presentation are top-drawer. Hyperion usually does no wrong in repertoire I'm interested in and their Liszt set is a must-buy whether one believes they need it or not. Do give it some consideration.

Lisztianwagner · January 11, 2025, 01:26:52 PM

Quote from: Albion on January 10, 2025, 02:47:35 PMI'm currently working my way through the 34-CD DG "Liszt Collection" released for the bicentenary as a limited edition in 2011. I've always had a soft spot for Liszt and this is a pretty comprehensive set in terms of the main works across the various genres. The box is now very hard to find but it does occasionally turn up on ebay. If you see a copy, grab it with both hands - you'll have loads of fun...

You preach to the choir with this box set, I would have really liked to get it, but I've never found it.

Quote from: San Antone on January 10, 2025, 03:35:02 PMA very good basic collection of Liszt's major works.

Some of the performances are, IMO, among the best available, e.g. Zimerman's B Minor Sonata; Reinbert de Leeuw's Via Crucis, and Roberto Szidon's the Hungarian Rhapsodies; a fine collection of lieder sung by some of the best voices: DFD, Behrens, Fassbaender; more major solo piano music played by some great Liszt interpreters: Arrau, Bolet, and Berman.

One could do a lot worse. This box could make up a decent Liszt collection by itself.

I very much agree, they chose the performance quite well, but what a pity there isn't anything played by Sviatoslav Richter; I would include Berman's Années de pélerinage among the best available too.

Lisztianwagner · January 11, 2025, 01:29:50 PM

Quote from: Duke Bluebeard on January 11, 2025, 12:31:33 PMAllow me to say that the Leslie Howard Liszt is phenomenal. Sure, there are better performances of many more familiar piano works, but I cannot stress how consistently great the performances are and, of course, the audio quality and overall presentation are top-drawer. Hyperion usually does no wrong in repertoire I'm interested in and their Liszt set is a must-buy whether one believes they need it or not. Do give it some consideration.

Indeed, he should be thanked forever for his titanic achievement.

Franz Liszt (1811-86)

Spotted Horses