Franz Liszt (1811-86)

[Mandryka]

As different from --- whom?

Well, the problem with responding to that is that everyone hears things differently, and I don't want to put people's backs up.

When I typed bombastic, I was thinking of something I had just listened to after Angelich -- Gorus in Villa d'Este I. I had also listened to the same piece played by Rubackyté -- and vulgar was a harsh (possibly) reflection about that.

Vulgarity and the sound people make with  modern pianos is something I've been thinking about a bit recently, largely through revisiting Liszt's Annees.

[Florestan]

Have you heard Michele Campanella? Here's what he says in the booklet:

I have consciously tried to underline the introspective side of a composer who is still considered today as someone exclusively histrionic. I hope that Liszt, from the Champs Elysees, agrees with me.

[Spotted Horses]

Well, the problem with responding to that is that everyone hears things differently, and I don't want to put people's backs up.

When I typed bombastic, I was thinking of something I had just listened to after Angelich -- Gorus in Villa d'Este I. I had also listened to the same piece played by Rubackyté -- and vulgar was a harsh (possibly) reflection about that.

Vulgarity and the sound people make with  modern pianos is something I've been thinking about a bit recently, largely through revisiting Liszt's Annees.

Trying to use nonjudgmental language, after very brief sampling Chamayou seems a bit unsubtle in la Champelle de Guilluame Tell. After several mentions I'm interested in Rubackyté, but I've only found it in Qobuz (which I don't subscribe to). Not in Apple Music, not at Presto.

Now I have too many versions to listen to!

[Mandryka]

Trying to use nonjudgmental language, after very brief sampling Chamayou seems a bit unsubtle in la Champelle de Guilluame Tell. After several mentions I'm interested in Rubackyté, but I've only found it in Qobuz (which I don't subscribe to). Not in Apple Music, not at Presto.

Now I have too many versions to listen to!

It's like with Well Tempered Clavier -- nearly all of them offer something.

  Bk 3 is so different from Bks 1 and 2.  Like Siegfried -- Acts 1 and 2 so different from Act 3.

[Brian]

Trying to use nonjudgmental language, after very brief sampling Chamayou seems a bit unsubtle in la Champelle de Guilluame Tell. After several mentions I'm interested in Rubackyté, but I've only found it in Qobuz (which I don't subscribe to). Not in Apple Music, not at Presto.

Now I have too many versions to listen to!

I bought my copy of Rubackyte used and hand-delivered from the much-missed GMGer Dancing Divertimentian. Though he lives or lived only one county away, I'm not sure what happened to him. In his profession, it benefited him to keep a low profile online and be hard to find.

[Spotted Horses]

I bought my copy of Rubackyte used and hand-delivered from the much-missed GMGer Dancing Divertimentian. Though he lives or lived only one county away, I'm not sure what happened to him. In his profession, it benefited him to keep a low profile online and be hard to find.

That means he is either a bounty hunter or an elementary school teacher.

[Brian]

That means he is either a bounty hunter or an elementary school teacher.

I don't want to get into or cause any trouble with/for him, but it was legal-related. Definitely not ambulance chasing 

(Insurance claim adjusters are another good example, though)

-

Now playing Grimwood III.

[Spotted Horses]

I don't want to get into or cause any trouble with/for him, but it was legal-related. Definitely not ambulance chasing 

(Insurance claim adjusters are another good example, though)

-

Now playing Grimwood III.

Unless he is known professionally as Dancing Divertimentian, I don't see how you could endanger him here.

[Florestan]

Unless he is known professionally as Dancing Divertimentian, I don't see how you could endanger him here.

I don't know. Maybe there are people here, also under cover, who've been tracking him down for years. Caution is advised. 

[Mandryka]

Have you heard Michele Campanella? Here's what he says in the booklet:

I have consciously tried to underline the introspective side of a composer who is still considered today as someone exclusively histrionic. I hope that Liszt, from the Champs Elysees, agrees with me.

Thanks, it sounds promising, I'll listen to more through the week. My two top picks at the mo are Jando and Cziffra.

Are there any other Hungarian pianists who recorded large amounts of it?

[Spotted Horses]

Thanks, it sounds promising, I'll listen to more through the week. My two top picks at the mo are Jando and Cziffra.

Are there any other Hungarian pianists who recorded large amounts of it?

Zoltán Kocsis did Book III.

I think Cziffra is great, but the audio quality is a problem for me.

[Mandryka]

Zoltán Kocsis did Book III.

I think Cziffra is great, but the audio quality is a problem for me.

Try Jando in III - I doubt you'll be sorry. Really refined and sensitive playing I think. I also thought he was good in I - fresh. I haven't heard his II yet.

[Madiel]

I don't know. Maybe there are people here, also under cover, who've been tracking him down for years. Caution is advised. 

One can always create a conspiracy theory if one really puts one's mind to it.

I do enjoy the Mel Gibson movie where he's a conspiracy nut and one of his conspiracies turns out to be true... only he's not sure which one.

[Mandryka]

Tanguy de Williencourt plays all three années at Roque D'Anthéron

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006tny5/broadcasts/upcoming

[Spotted Horses]

Arrau's Chapelle de Guillaume Tell (Philips) doesn't seem promising at first but becomes wonderfully rich.

[Spotted Horses]

Well, I've listened to Grimwood, which I found very rewarding.



What should be my next Années de pèlerinage?

I've listened to (that I remember) Berman, Ciccolini, Cziffra, Howard, parts of Lortie. I see the recomendation for Jando from Mandryka above, which I've put on my list. But so many options. There's Angelich, Korstick, Tiberghien, Bolet, Bartal, Rubackyté (suggested by Brian, not on Apple Music) Gorus. Where to start? Or maybe my obsession with Années de pèlerinage has gotten out of hand and I should find some other music by Liszt to listen to.

[Brian]

Gorus and Korstick are really opposites and it might be entertaining to contrast them for that reason. Korstick is no-nonsense, virtuosic, serious, a little bit "hard," while Gorus takes the Petrarch sonnets especially and slows/softens them into almost impressionistic, Debussy-like clouds of poetry.

[Todd]

Gorus and Korstick are really opposites and it might be entertaining to contrast them for that reason. Korstick is no-nonsense, virtuosic, serious, a little bit "hard," while Gorus takes the Petrarch sonnets especially and slows/softens them into almost impressionistic, Debussy-like clouds of poetry.

Agreed this.  Gorus is ultimately the more satisfying because his playing is the more romantic.  Pity he has not recorded more.

[Spotted Horses]

Gorus and Korstick are really opposites and it might be entertaining to contrast them for that reason. Korstick is no-nonsense, virtuosic, serious, a little bit "hard," while Gorus takes the Petrarch sonnets especially and slows/softens them into almost impressionistic, Debussy-like clouds of poetry.

I have this feeling that I've listened to Korstick recently, but my listening journal only shows Milhaud piano concertos, from some years ago. I think Korstick is cross-circuited in my brain with Koukl.

From your description Koustick sounds more to my liking than Gorus, since the objectivist Ciccolini is my ideal Liszt pianist, despite less than spectacular audio from EMI France. But the contrast with Gorus sounds interesting.

Agreed this.  Gorus is ultimately the more satisfying because his playing is the more romantic.  Pity he has not recorded more.

Does he overuse the sustain pedal?

[Todd]

Does he overuse the sustain pedal?

No.