Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor/Petrarch Sonnets

On this CD:

1. Sonata, for piano in B minor, S. 178 (LW A179)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Elisabeth Leonskaja

2. Sonetto del Petrarca No. 104 (Pace non trovo) for piano (Années II/5), S. 158/5 (LW A55/5)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Elisabeth Leonskaja

3. Sonetto del Petrarca No. 123 (I'vidi in terra angelica costumi), for piano (Années II/6), S. 158/6 (LW A55/6)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Elisabeth Leonskaja

4. Aprés une lecture du Dante II, fantasia quasi sonata, for piano (Années II/7) S. 161/7 (LW 159/7)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Elisabeth Leonskaja

Tracks:

'Annees De Pelerinage' Second Year: Italy, S.161: Dante Son (Andante Maestoso...
'Annees De Pelerinage' Second Year: Italy, S.161: Sonetto No.47 Del Petrarca (Preludio Con Moto...
'Annees De Pelerinage' Second Year: Italy, S.161: Sonetto No.104 Del Petrarca (Agitato Assai...
'Annees De Pelerinage' Second Year: Italy, S.161: Sonetto No.123 Del Petrarca (Lento Placido...
'Annees De Pelerinage' Third Year: S.163: Les Jeux D'eau A La Villa d'Este: (Fountains Of The...
Ballade No.2 in b, S.171: Allegro Moderato - Lento Assai - Tempo I - Lento Assai - Allegretto...
Liebestraume (3 Notturnos), S.541: No.2 in E flat (2nd Version): ('Seliger Tod') (Quasi Lento...)
Liebestraume (3 Notturnos), S.541: No.3 in A flat: ('O Lieb, So Lang Du Lieben Kannst!) (Poco...
Conc Etude No.3 in D flat, S.144 'Un Sospiro': Allegro Affettuoso
Fant And Fugue in g, S.463: Fant (Grave)
Fant And Fugue in g, S.463: Fugue (Allegro)
Son in b, S.178: Lento Assai - Allegro Energico - Grandioso - Recitative - Andante Sostenuto...
Son in b, S.178: Fugue: Allegro Energico - Piu Mosso - Stretta Quasi Presto - Presto...
Die Loreley (Second Version), S.532: Nicht Schleppend
Harmonies Poetiques Et Religieuses, S.173: Funerailles: Intro (Adagio) - Lagrimoso - Poco...
Seventeen Polish Songs, Op.74 'Six Chants Polonais', S.480: My Joys (Nocturne) (Quasi Allegretto)
Mephisto Polka, S.217: Allegretto
Consolation No.3 in D flat, S.172: Lento Placido

Amazon.com

Earl Wild is a premier Lisztian, one of the great Romantic pianists of our age, claims easily confirmed by this two-disc set of major Liszt piano works recorded in 1985 and issued here in splendid sound. The attributes of Wild's playing are all present on these discs--a big, burnished tone, the technique to make even the most difficult works sound easy, and mastery of both subtle rubato and grandiloquent rhetoric, both indispensable for satisfying Liszt playing. We hear these immediately in the Dante Sonata, where Wild's brazen colorings and wide dynamic range capture Liszt's depiction of the poet's Inferno. And we hear those pianistic virtues at the end of the recital as well, with a gently flowing, poetic Consolation No. 3. The Sonata has been recorded by most of the century's great pianists, but Wild's interpretation is compelling by virtue of its flowing narrative approach--you feel he's telling a dramatic story that seethes with passion and has long chapters of philosophic reflection. Perhaps it's that storytelling aspect of Wild's Liszt that makes it so individual and at the same time so true to the Lisztian spirit. Everything on these discs is played at the highest level. Miss it at your peril. --Dan Davis

Album Description

Critics and audiences all over the world have praised Earl Wild's virtuosity and musicality. In a continuing celebration of his 85th birthday, Ivory Classics is re-issuing some of his most collectible and most admired performances of Franz Liszt's masterpieces. Available for the first time in remastered 24-bit high definition HDCD encoded sound!

Customer Reviews:

Untiring virtuousness!.......2006-04-05

At the moment to recall the great Liszt interpreters in the last Century, Earl Wild must be always included, due he not only is owner of a prodigious and subduing technique, but besides, he possesses that fundamental lyric flight, so necessary at the moment to play this Hungarian composer.

Overwhelming expressiveness, éclat, powerful spelling, flair and dazzling fingering make of this CD an absolute must for all those who want to know the minimum facets of these fireworks pieces.

Only Liszt did it better!.......2001-04-03

Okay, that might not be entirely true, but I'm very excited after listening to this 2-CD set of some of the best of Liszt's music for piano. We begin with the 'Dante' Sonata and end with the lovely Consolation no. 3. What's in between? Music of light and dark, angels and demons. The Sonata is played as I want it played--finally! And Earl Wild is telling a story here. But the power! the grace! the lyricism! I've been listening to a lot of Liszt this year, by several players, and I have to say that I'm going to buy as much Liszt by Earl Wild as I can get my hands on. Judging by these two discs, I place him pretty much at the top of the heap of Liszt players. They all have their strengths, yes, but there's something about Wild. I'd love to hear him play the Transcendental Etudes, the Years of Pilgrimage, Paganini Etudes, the Waltzes, the transcriptions... SO: buy this set and fall in love with Liszt again.

Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor/Petrarch Sonnets

Average customer rating:

Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor/Petrarch Sonnets

Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000E8RE
Release Date: 1992-05-01

Piano Works by Liszt, Shostakovich, Prokofiev

Average customer rating:

Piano Works by Liszt, Shostakovich, Prokofiev

Manufacturer: Stradivari
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000009IJI
Release Date: 1992-11-04

Liszt: Sonata in B minor: Tre Sonetti del Petrarca

Average customer rating:

Liszt: Sonata in B minor: Tre Sonetti del Petrarca

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B0000026Q5
Release Date: 1989-10-24

Average customer rating:

Acceptable performance, but lacks in musicality

Liszt: Sonata In B Minor/Petrarca/Dante

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000006VI
Release Date: 1992-12-11

Tracks:

Sonata in B Minor
Sonetto 47 Del Petrarca
Sonetto 104 Del Petrarca
Sonetto 123 Del Petrarca
Apres une Lecture du Dante - Fantasia Quasi Sonata

Customer Reviews:

Acceptable performance, but lacks in musicality.......2005-08-07

The major work on this album is clearly the Piano Sonata in Bm. I own four recordings of this piece, and this is the worst of the bunch. Right off the bat, there is a lack of ferocity in the Lento assai beginning and an as he plays through the 17 or so tempo changes, I can't help feel that I'm being shortchanged by the performance. Maybe this is because I am constantly comparing the performance to the benchmark performance by Martha Argerich (which is available on multiple recordings Martha Argerich Collection DG, Debut Recital DG, Greatest Pianists of the 20th Century II Philips).

If you want the Liszt Piano Sonata, buy the Argerich version. Browning's performance is forgettable. Argerich's performance is spectacular.

Liszt: Sonata, for piano in B minor, S. 178 / Petrarch Sonnets (3) / Légendes (2), for piano, S.175

Average customer rating:

Liszt: Sonata, for piano in B minor, S. 178 / Petrarch Sonnets (3) / Légendes (2), for piano, S.175

Manufacturer: Collins Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000003VXE
Release Date: 1993-08-24

Tracks:

Son in b, G.178: Lento Assai-Allegro Energico-Grandioso-(Allegro)
Son in b, G.178: (Development Part I)
Son in b, G.178: Andante Sostenuto-Quasi Adagio
Son in b, G.178: (Development Part II: Allegro Energico (Fuguel))
Son in b, G.178: Recapitulation
Son in b, G.178: Coda: Presto-Prestissimo-Andante Sostenuto-Allegro Moderato-Lento Assai
Tre Sonetti Del Petrarca: (Annees De Pelerinage-Deuxieme Anne), G.161: Son 47
Tre Sonetti Del Petrarca: (Annees De Pelerinage-Deuxieme Anne), G.161: Son 104
Tre Sonetti Del Petrarca: (Annees De Pelerinage-Deuxieme Anne), G.161: Son 123 - Artur Pizarro A
Two Legends, G.173: St. Franoise D' Assie: La Predication Aux Oiseaux
Two Legends, G.173: St. Francois De Paule Marchant Sur Les Flots