Liszt: Années de Pèlerinage 2 and 3

On this CD:

1. Sposalizio II, for piano (Années II/1), S. 161/1 (LW A55/1)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Lazar Naumovich Berman

2. Années de pèlerinage, 2nd Year ("Italie"), suite for piano, S. 161 (LW A55)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Lazar Naumovich Berman

3. Années de pèlerinage, 2nd Year ("Italie"), suite for piano, S. 161 (LW A55)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Lazar Naumovich Berman

4. Années de pèlerinage, 2nd Year ("Italie"), suite for piano, S. 161 (LW A55)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Lazar Naumovich Berman

5. Années de pèlerinage, 2nd Year ("Italie"), suite for piano, S. 161 (LW A55)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Lazar Naumovich Berman

6. Années de pèlerinage, 2nd Year ("Italie"), suite for piano, S. 161 (LW A55)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Lazar Naumovich Berman

7. Années de pèlerinage, 2nd Year ("Italie"), suite for piano, S. 161 (LW A55)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Lazar Naumovich Berman

8. Gondoliera, for piano (Années, suppl. to II/1), for piano, S. 162/1 (LW A197/1)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Lazar Naumovich Berman

9. Canzona, for piano (Années, suppl. to II/2), for piano, S. 162/2 (LW A197/2)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Lazar Naumovich Berman

10. Tarantella, for piano (Années, suppl. to II/3), S. 162/3 (LW A197/3)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Lazar Naumovich Berman

11. Années de pèlerinage, 3rd Year, suite for piano, S. 163 (LW A283)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Lazar Naumovich Berman

12. Années de pèlerinage, 3rd Year, suite for piano, S. 163 (LW A283)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Lazar Naumovich Berman

13. Années de pèlerinage, 3rd Year, suite for piano, S. 163 (LW A283)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Lazar Naumovich Berman

14. Sursum Corda!, for piano (Années III/7), S. 163/7 (LW A283/7)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Lazar Naumovich Berman

Tracks:

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 In C-Sharp Minor
Liebestraum No.3
Mephisto Waltz No.1
Funerailles (No.7 Of Harmonies Poetiques Et Religieuses)
Rigoletto: Conc Paraphrase
La Campanella

Tracks:

Die Forelle
Der Muller Und Der Bach
Wohin?
Lebe Wohl!
Das Wandern
Der Lindenbaum
Horch, Horch, Die Lerch
Auf Dem Wasser Zu Singen
Die Post
Aufenthalt
Lob Der Tranen
Erlkonig
I. Allegro Con Fuoco
II. Adagio
III. Presto
IV. Allegro

Tracks:

Lento Assai - Allegro Energico -
Andante Sostenuto
Allegro Energico - Andante Sostenuto - Lento Assai
Valse Impromptu
I. 'Hohe Liebe' In A flat
II. 'Selinger Tod' In E Flat
III. 'O Lieb' In A Flat
Grand Galop Chromatique

Tracks:

I. Sposalizio
II Penseroso
III. Canzonetta Del Salvator Rosa
IV. Sonetto 47 Del Petrarca
V. Sonetto 104 Del Patrarca
VI. Sonetto 123: Del Petrarca
VII. Apres Une Lecture De Dance (Fant Quasi Son)

Tracks:

I. La Chapelle De Guillaume Tell
II. Au Lac De Wallenstadt
III. Pastorale
IV. Au Bord D'une Source
V. Orage
VI. Vallee D'Obermann
VII. Eglogue (Hirtengesang)
VIII. Le Mal Du Pays
IX. Les Cloches De Geneve

Tracks:

I Gondoliera
II. Canzone
III. Tarantella
Les Jeux D'eau A La Villa D'Este (No.4 Of Annees De Pelerinage, Troisieme Annee)
Benediction De Dieu Dans La Solitude: (No.3 Of Harmonies Poetiques Et Religieuses)
Ballade No.2 In B

Tracks:

I. Preludio: Presto
II. Molto Vivace
III. Paysage: Poco Adagio
IV. Mazeppa: Allegro
V. Feux Follets: Allegretto
VI. Vision: Lento
VII. Eroica: Allegro
VIII. Wilde Jagd: Presto Furioso
IX. Ricordanza: Andantino
X. Allegro Agitato Molto
XI. Harmonies Du Soir: Andantino
XII. Chasse-Neige: Andante Con Moto

Tracks:

Zwei Konzertetuden: I. Waldesrauschen
Zwei Konzertetuden: II. Gnomenreigen
I. Il Lamento
II. La Leggierezza
III. Un Sospiro
I. Andante Con Moto
II. Un Poco Piu Mosso
III. Lento Placido
IV. Quasi Adagio
V. Andantino
VI. Allegretto Sempre Cantabile
Reminiscences De Don Juan

Tracks:

Reminiscences De Norma
Totentanz (Danse Macabre)
Malediction
Fant On Hungarian Folk Themes

Customer Reviews:

Ethereal LIszt in Superb Sound.......2006-09-29

Piano playing of extraordinary romantic depth and breadth. Bolet is inside Liszt's mind, as Liszt's romantic self unfolds on the keyboard. It is as if Bolet is the master himself. Superlative recordings to boot!

A great collection of Liszt treasures.......2004-01-12

The booklet of this set has an interesting explanation of why Jorge Bolet stayed out of the spotlights for so long before taking up his -glorious- career. It was his devotion to Liszt. By then, in the 1950s, Liszt was still regarded as a B-composer (There are still people who tend to think so: I read someone who called Liszt `the father of all bar pianists'. Now, if you know a worse offence...). Only after Liszt's reputation had increased, Bolet could enter his `Indian summer', which lasted from about 1975 until his passing away in 1990. During this period, he was finally able to perform his favourite music as much as possible. This fine 9-disc set may indeed be Bolet's most important testament. Additionally, it's one of the most important Liszt collections on the market. But beware: there's much more than just Bolet, considering Liszt's piano works. I can't say this is the perfect set or near it. Still five stars, for some astonishing piano playing that we don't come across very often nowadays.

Bolet won a Gramophone Award for his 1st book of Années de Pelerinage, which is not strange when listening to the recordings. This is a portrait of a man who's entirely on his own, looking for his soul while wandering trough the beautiful Switzerland - I can't say it better than B. Johnson already did. It's Romantic nonsense, of course, but in Liszt's days it was a common idea, and it can still sweep me away. Bolet's superior tonal colouring - beautiful, but not too far-driven, for the risk it would almost be too intimidating - and his peaceful nature lift this music to the greatest heights. My only complaint would be the `Orage' piece: Bolet's technique can't quite handle it, and its aggressive nature is much less overwhelming as a result. Nevertheless, the rest of the pieces show him at his very best. So does the second year of the Années (that is oddly placed in the set before the first year by Decca). The Dante Sonata, one of Liszt's greatest pieces, fares very well under Bolet's hands.

Equally excellent were the Schubert Song Transcriptions. The transcriptions aren't very different from the original songs, but they are definitely interesting. Especially when someone like Bolet takes them under his hands! All songs are terrifically played, with real standouts like `Auf dem Wasser zu singen', `Der Mueller und der Bach' and `Erlkoenig'. Bolet's romantic touch (he may have been the last of his kind) lets the music unendingly flow. Brilliant!

These comments also apply to Liszt's Consolations, which are placed on another disc. Liszt shows here how much he's in debt to Schubert, and wrote music of a disarmingly lyrical nature. Bolet gives almost naively innocent readings of these pieces. Talking about singing music, why not include the Liebesträume, `Venezia e Napoli' and many, many other pieces as well. Although some people still regard Liszt as a bombastic composer, he was in fact much more active on the spiritual and lyrical area. It is largely this nature of Liszt that is put into the spotlights by Bolet. He is really terrific whenever music ought to sound peaceful and meditative.

But Liszt was also a stunning virtuoso. People may eschew him for that, but that's often without any good ground. The B minor Sonata and the Transcendental Etudes, to give some names, are not only pianistically but also musically amazing works. It takes to be both a good technician and a musician to play them well, and this is where Bolet occasionally fails. He was over 65 when he made these recordings, and I can't help but say that his technique was not anymore what it used to be. In many pieces you can hear him struggle.

In what may be the most difficult music Liszt wrote, the Transcendental Etudes, Bolet takes tempi that are almost too easy (e.g. no.10 should be `Allegro molto agitato' but Bolet plays it very moderately), perhaps because his technique was by then too limited to give the pieces a really impressive treatment. Even then, I do feel a ertain nobility in Bolet's slow approach that gives every study a dignified stature (and that's something you won't find with Kissin or Cziffra!). The sonata is similarly noble and yet tremendously powerful in its scope, even though Bolet may lack some technial control at isolated spots.

Anoter treacherous piece is the `Reminiscences de Don Juan', which is a transcription of no less an opera than -of course- Don Giovanni! Bolet plays this 20-minute piece with a lot of humour and swing: it's a great way to clean up your mind! Also recommendable are the Etudes de Concert (e.g. Waldesrauschen), whose light spirit is very well captured.

A treasure trove set overall, I can recommend it without any limitations. There's no other composer that suited Bolet as well as Liszt, and the vice versa may be true as well. But the pianist also has his weaker points, particularly regarding his technique, that wasn't what it used to be. Oh, and the piano sound is not always equally convincing: the instrument sounds a little shrill at times. But there's an amazing amount of colour in the instrument, and it allows Bolet to reachfor the deepest, darkest sonorities you've heard. This collection is therefore not just THE best Liszt: there are many more pianists who made supreme recordings of him (e.g. Arrau, Brendel, Richter) and I definitely recommend searching them out as well. After you've heard this!

An excellent collection of Liszt interpretations........2003-12-03

I was very impressed with Bolet's playing. His rendition of La Campanella is the best I've ever heard.

Liszt for the ages........2001-12-05

Both for those that would like to find out for the first time what Liszt is all about, and for those few that are very familiar with the Paganini of the 88: LOOK NO FURTHER!

It doesn't get any better than this.

After I heard throughout the seventies about this "unknown" great of the romantic repertoire, I was fortunate enough to see him for the first time about a month after he recorded the first issue of this now legendary Liszt series. While his technique may not have exactly been what it used to be before (e.g. Orage in Suisse of Les Annees), all the performances benefit from the wisdom of many, many years. While all the performances are of a uniform Olympic level, two issue stand out in my mind.

First, there is the cd of Schubert Liszt transcriptions. Bolet really sets the standards for "singing" on the piano. His version of "Der Muller und der Bach" has to be believed to be heard.

Most importantly though, there is "Suisse" the first year of Liszt's years of pilgrimage. I own this disc from the day it appeared on the shelves and still listen to it every month. Surely, there are more technically brilliant versions. For the true "Liszt Nuts", I would certainly advise Leslie Howard's version of "L'Album d'un voyageur", that contains the first version of many of the "Suisse" pieces, and some additional pieces that Frenz (for reasons that escape me completely) excluded from the later Suisse. Yet, nobody, not even Brendel or Berman, have come close to Bolet on delivering on the central theme of Suisse, man finding himself back in an exploration of nature.

While they stem from the earlier days of digital recording the recordings are still more than respectable and benefit greatly from Bolet's attention for color, aided by his favorite Bechstein.

Tracks:

Mephisto Waltz No. 1
Die Loreley
Hungarian Rhapsody No.11 In A Minor: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11 In A Minor
Harmonies poetiques et religieuses: No. 7 Funerailles
Schwanengesang: No. 1 Liebesbotschaft
Annees de pelerinage: Premiere annee: No. 4 Au bord d'une source
3 Etudes de Concert: No. 3 Un sospiro
Liebestraum No. 3 In A flat
Etudes d' execution transcendante: No. 3 In G Sharp Minor 'La campanella'
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 In C Sharp Minor
3 Etudes de Concert: No. 2 La leggierezza
Annees de pelerinage: Troisieme annee: No. 4 Les jeux d'eaux a la Villa d'Este

Tracks:

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 In C Sharp Minor
Fantasia On The Waltz from Gounod's 'Faust'
Valse oubliee No. 1 In F Sharp
Valse oubliee No. 2 In A Flat
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13 In A Minor
Annees de pelerinage: Premiere annee: No. 6 Vallee d'Obermann
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 14 In F Minor
Annees de pelerinage: Premiere annee: No. 7 Eglogue
Widmung
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 In D Flat

Customer Reviews:

Very good BUT....Improv in Liszt??.......2005-08-24

I find for the most part this is an excellent recording and "La Campanella" is breakthaking in its rhythmic dynamics and especially in the upper keyboard trills that are so much a part of this piece's intense virtuosity. I wish someone would reissue Gary Graffman's long out-of-print recording of this piece. I recall it being the best I ever heard.
Where I have serious reservations is in Dichter's playing of the etude "Un Sospiro". I am open to being corrected but where in the world did he come up with the insertion of a 4 or 5 bar improvisation before the recapitulation of the theme? I've never heard that before. But for overall GRAND Liszt playing, I agree with the on-line reviewers-nothing beats the Jorge Bolet recordings.

Liszt presented in all his magnificence.......2005-01-03

There are a ton of great, well-known pieces on this 2-CD set, and it's a fantastic deal! Very beautiful in all respects except that, I agree with the reviewer below--the DB range of playing is not as wide or dynamic as it should be. It would be better if it was a bit HARDER and more powerful!--this is essential for the passion and intensity that Liszt created. Also, Mephisto Waltz seems to have been shortened. But all in all, good collection at a good price.

Lisztmania.......2004-06-01

This Phillips label compact disc presents us with many fine works for piano by the incredible Franz Liszt (1811-1886) who together with Frederic Chopin revolutionzed the piano for the 19th century. On here are the Mephisto Waltz, Hungarian Rhapsodies No. 1-12, Etudes, Valses and transcriptions from Paganini's La Campanella and the Waltz from Gounod's opera Faust.
I like to think that the first cd, tracks 1-10 represents the softer side of Liszt. His friendship with Frederic Chopin influenced his lighter, romantic and nocturnal type of music, which are found in such works as Schwanengesang (Swan Song) "Un Sospiro" and Les Jeux D'Eux A La Villa D'Este. The second cd, tracks 1-10 represent some of the more dramatic and intense works for piano, among them the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C Sharp Minor, which opens the second cd. The work has been orchestrated, it's polyphonic festive mood has been used in the Looney Tunes cartoons. It is meant to describe the folk dancing of Hungary. The Fantasia on the Waltz from Gounod's Faust is incredibly demanding and sweeping, beautiful in this rendition. All the works are performed by the piano artist Misha Dichter. Although to be quite honest, this is not the best of Franz Liszt per se. It only provides us with high quality piano works. But Liszt was more than a radical new pianist, he was also a fine orchestral conductor. He invented the symphonic poem, or tone poem, which was greatly used in the 19th century, influencing such composers as Tchaikovsky, Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss. Why did'nt they have Liszt's great symphonic poems the Dante Symphony and the Faust Symphony ? Also the Dance Of Death Totentanz should have been here, also his fantastic piano concerto. These days, it's hard to find a great interpreter of Franz Liszt. So much of his music is out of this world. It feels like only an octupus with millions of hands and fingers would aptly play his complex, multi-melodic score.

Vital; impeccable; a treasure trove.......2002-10-17

I've lived with this CD, and similar Liszt CD's by artists of equal fame, for at least two years. My admiration -- my gratitude -- for this one rises with each listening. I believe that Liszt would be very grateful for these performances, could he hear them. It is difficult to imagine a pianist serving a composer more thoroughly than Dichter does here. There is no careless note, yet no faltering in momentum or vitality. Dichter has mastered the music, yet remains its servant. His performances of the few meditative pieces on this CD are as impeccable as his work on the many bravura ones; deeply felt, and tastefully expressed. This seems a treasure house to me; its length is 145 minutes. The engineers have depressed or compressed the dynamic range, I think; there is not enough difference between piano and forte for my taste... I am perhaps equally fond of Philips' 2-disc edition of Liszt's Annees de Pelerinage I-III, performed by Brendel and Kocsis, 289-462-312-2. Philips' 2-disc edition of Lizts's etudes, with Arrau and Magaloff, is of less interest to me at this time; I suppose this is my reaction to the compositions themselves.

Good - but where's the poetry?.......2001-05-11

A very good and recommended recording. The only thing I miss is more lyricism. Traditionalists may argue that lyricism has little place in Liszt, but look and listen! There are lots of beautiful melodic passages that need carefull attention to phrasing and tone. It would make this recording milder and sweeter to the ear. But as far as the virtuosity is concerned, no complaints. But don't forget, you can only be flashy for so long before it gets dull....!

Average customer rating:

Piano/Dreams

Piano Dreams

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00007L4R7
Release Date: 2003-01-07

Tracks:

Erik Satie: Gymnopidie No.1 - Lent et douloureux
Franz Liszt: Rjve D'Amour No. 3 in A-flat major
Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky: Octobre - Chant D'Automne
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sonata in A minor, Ks. 310 - II. Andante catabile con espressione
Ludwig van Beethoven: : Sonata No.14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 Moonlight - I. Adagio sestenuto
Robert Schumann: : Fantaisie in C major, Op. 17 III. Langsam getragen. Durchweg leise zu halten
Sergei Rachmaninov: Eligie in E-flat minor, Op. 3 No.1
Paderewski: Nocturne in B flat, Op. 16 No. 4
Erik Satie: Gnossienne No.1
Maurice Ravel: Pavane pour une infante difunte
George Gershwin: Prelude No. 2
George Gershwin: Love Walked In

Tracks:

Claude Debussy: Clair de lune (from Suite Bergamasque)
Edvard Grieg: Notturno in C major (Pihces lyriques, Op. 54 No. 4)
Alexander Scriabin: Prilude in F-sharp minor, Op. 11 No. 8
Frederic Chopin: Nocturne in C minor, Op. 48 No.1
Frederic Chopin: Nocturne in C-sharp minor
Franz Liszt: Au lac de Wallenstadt (Annis de phlerinage, I. La Suisse)
Claude Debussy: La soiree dans Grenade
Artur Rubinstein: Melody In F
Maurice Ravel: Ondine (from Gaspardde la nuit)
Francis Poulenc: Improvisations in C minor, FP 176 No.15- Hommage A Edith Piaf
Sergei Rachmaninov: Prelude in F- sharp minor, Op. 23
Gabrilovich: Melodie in F
Leos Janacek: On the Overgrown Path
Samuel Barber: Sonate Op. 26 - III. Adagio mesto
Roger Quilter: The Crimson Petal
Henri Dutilleux: D'ombre et de silence (from 3 Preludes)

Customer Reviews:

Piano/Dreams.......2003-02-24

I love this cd so much I been play in my store all time and so many customers come up to ask what's cd are we playing and where to get it, i give them all information I know. we love it.

Average customer rating:

Liszt's unrivalled piano compositions
Good alternative to Berman, Cziffra, Bolet, et al.
Beautiful bargain Liszt

Liszt: Années de Pèlerinage, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Liszt: Années de Pèlerinage, Vol. 3 (Third Year)
Liszt: Years of Pilgrimage, Vol. 1
Franz Liszt: Études d'exécution transcendante 1851 version
Franz Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies, Vol. 1
Liszt: Piano Music Vol. 10

ASIN: B0000013TS
Release Date: 1994-02-15

Tracks:

deuxieme annee: italie (Second Year: Italy): Sposalizio (Marriage Of The Virgin)
deuxieme annee: italie (Second Year: Italy): Il pensieroso (The Thinker)
deuxieme annee: italie (Second Year: Italy): Canzonetta del Salvator Rosa (Canzonetta Of Salvator Rosa)
deuxieme annee: italie (Second Year: Italy): Sonetto 47 del Petrarca (Sonnet 47 Of Petrarch)
deuxieme annee: italie (Second Year: Italy): Sonetto 104 del Petrarca (Sonnet 104 Of Petrarch)
deuxieme annee: italie (Second Year: Italy): Sonetto 123 del Petrarca (Sonnet 123 Of Petrarch)
deuxieme annee: italie (Second Year: Italy): Apres une lecture du Dante, fantasia quasi una sonata (After Reading Dante)
venezia e napoli (Venice And Naples): Gondoliera (Gondolier's Song)
venezia e napoli (Venice And Naples): Canzone (Song)
venezia e napoli (Venice And Naples): Tarantella

Customer Reviews:

Liszt's unrivalled piano compositions.......2006-08-28

Jeno Jando has been a staunch and first-class Liszt champion for Naxos. Recording some impeccable interpretations for the Complete Piano Music of Liszt series, he's also recorded all three books of the Annees de Pelerinage. The first book was given a stellar approach and interpretation; the second book (or second year) here proves to be just as great. Jando's use of shading and his meticulous attention to effects make for some incredible executions.

Take the "Sposalizio," with its amorous poetry and romantic mood, capped off by an uplifting Lisztian conclusion. Jando plays it with purity and a refined touch. The "Il Penseroso" is probably the best overall delivery of this melancholy composition. While Berman and Bolet have their own unique style, Jando plays it quietly and with a morose sentimentality. When the lower bass must be explored, Jando does not *pound*, but he *pushes* into the keys to create a blanket of darkness. The "Canzonetta del Salvatore Rosa" is unfortunately not one of the most original or interesting of the set. It has its charms and rhythmic delight, but fails to say much else; it's not wholly bad but not impressive either. The "Sonnetto 47 del Petrarca" is a different story: This piece speaks volumes of tenderness and affection. The underlying melody is as captivating as a Chopin prelude or nocturne, and Jando emphasizes the exquisite Lisztian touch of dramatic passion.

The "Sonetto 104 del Petrarca" is another moving work of picturesque quality. It speaks like a love letter or poem, a sublime model of Liszt's effective romantic style. Chopin wasn't the only master; Liszt also delivers the most sentimental and rapturous bars of music here. Again, Jando plays with enthusiasm, yet never rushes to the end; he plays like he enjoys listening to the music. The last Petrarch "Sonetto 123" is the most lyrical of them all, summoning ecstasy and love-sick feelings from the piano. These, along with his Liebestraumes and Harmonies Poetiques et Religieuses are his fine contributions to the romantically-charged pieces in the Romantic piano literature. The music here, with its lovely emotions and embellished romance mingle together to create a breathtaking fresco.

A stark and mind-blowing contrast to the prior works occurs when Liszt's great Dante Sonata, or "Apres une lecture du Dante" opens with its ominous tritone octave chords. For those unfamiliar with this work: It is one of Liszt's masterpieces on piano, as original and inspired as his Sonata in B minor, and if I may say so, one of the greatest "Sonata's" in the Romantic era. Who else has achieved such artistic mastery of conjuring images like this? Liszt's work is one of visionary innovation and power: Tell me you don't imagine Hell with all the swirling and descending chromatic octaves, played with blistering force and dark emotions from Jando. Screams, pain, shadows, pummeling winds against the sinners, the dread that Dante feels: Liszt elevates Dante's great literary visions to the highest musical degree. When Hell's musical depiction is complete, Liszt attains an even higher level of imagery when he plays the "Francesa and Paolo" themes. If you listen carefully, you can actually *hear* Francesa speak, telling her sad story of doomed-love. Then, amazingly, the music convincingly portrays Dante's feelings regarding the tale. The gentle bars of nostalgic and gloomy music move back into the whirling tones of Hell, and the piece ends with a final glimpse of Heaven and the triumph of Dante's journey out of it. This is a monumental work that leaves me stunned. Those already familiar with this work know what I'm talking about, but I implore anyone who has not heard this to experience this colossal and extraordinary music. Jando, in my opinion, plays it better than Bolet's which is, unfortunately, the only version I'm familiar with besides Jando's.

The Venezia e Napoli here is of exceptional musical worth. I find all three pieces beautiful and enthralling. The "Gondoliera" is idyllic and mesmerizing, played with color and dynamism by Jando. The following "Canzone" is exotic and visceral. It follows the trend of being a murky and gray piece; played with just the appropriate tempo and emphasis of the theme on Jando's part. As a final thrilling encore, Jando performs the "Tarentella" with aplomb and virtuosic splendor. Ultimately, the piece is an explosion of electrifying rhythm and shattering ecstatic chords. Musically it provides excitement and interest; I love it.

Bottom line: Jando and Naxos have once again made a high-quality disc of excellence: the sound-engineering leaves nothing to be desired and the music is the best of its kind. Liszt's greatest piano compositions can be found here. While those already familiar with the works may not care to buy this (usually those familiar with Bolet or Berman like to stick to their guy). But those who have not yet heard this music from Liszt and/or are curious, I definitely recommend this recording, a disc that predominantly consists of masterpieces.

Good alternative to Berman, Cziffra, Bolet, et al........2004-02-05

Naxos' "in-house pianist" turns out a more than satisfactory performance in this second volume of three "Years of Pilgrimage" albums, in part due to the comparative lack of pastoral imagery--lyricism is not Jando's forte. Received a Penguin Rosette (for what it's worth). Recorded sound is fine, with Venezia e Napoli being the standout performance on this disc.

Beautiful bargain Liszt.......2000-06-09

Jando's "Years of Pilgrimage" is the finest budget version available, as good as Jerome Rose's is on Vox. Passionate performances, gorgeous sound. My favorite Liszt piano music, actually. This music presages Debussy and Ravel and no piano-lover should be without it.

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Horowitz is Horowitz
He does what he does!
some spectacular stuff
Primarily for Horowitz fans
High Voltage Pianism

Horowitz Rediscovered

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | 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
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Horowitz: Discovered Treasures
Horowitz: The Private Collection, Vol. 1
Horowitz: The Last Romantic
Horowitz: The Last Recording
Horowitz at the Met

ASIN: B000092Q8V
Release Date: 2003-05-06

Tracks:

Applause
Sonata No. 3 In F Minor, Op. 14 'Concert Sans Orchestre'
Allegro Brillante
Scherzo: Molto Commodo
Quasi Variazioni: Andantino De Clara Wieck
Prestissimo Possible

Tracks:

Applause
Prelude In G, Op. 32 No. 5
Etude-Tableau In E-Flat Minor, Op. 39 No. 5
Valse Oubliee No. 1 In F-Sharp
Au Bord D'une Source (Annees De Pelerinage, 1er Annee, Suisse, No. 4)
Waltz In A Minor, Op. 34 No. 2
Scherzo No. 1 In B Minor, Op. 20
Serenade To A Doll (Children's Corner)
traumerei/Reverie (Kinderscenen, Op. 15 No. 7
Etincelles (Morceaux Caracteristiques, Op. 36 No. 6
Etude-Tableau In D, Op. 39 No. 9

Amazon.com

When Vladimir Horowitz was still alive, he insisted that his live performance recordings be corrected with retakes whenever he was dissatisfied with artistic or technical matters. This posthumous release is apparently the first major label publication of an unedited Horowitz recital. Listeners who never heard Horowitz in concert, or who haven't heard any of the bootleg releases of his live performances, may be surprised to hear "The Pianist of the Century" actually hitting wrong notes and having out of control moments, just like a real live human being. But this complete recital, recorded in Carnegie Hall on November 16, 1975, presents a more honest and, in some ways, more affecting portrait of Horowitz than his more heavily edited recordings. The Etude-Tableau Op. 39, No. 5 may be a little messy, and Horowitz's way with the Chopin Scherzo is rather heavy-handed and sometimes veers off the track. But the Schumann works (often one of Horowitz's best composers) are quite splendid, well worth the reasonable cost of the set in themselves, and the encores all sparkle. The professional-quality recording has been expertly remastered. This may not be Horowitz's "best" recording, but it may be the truest representation of his playing. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Horowitz is Horowitz.......2004-01-26

This concert is certainly a mixed bag filled with the gorgeous sounds only Horowitz can draw out of his piano, the exaggerated rhythmic variances that always skirt the line of good taste (usually managing to stay on the positive side), and the incredible daring this man would risk in front of a Carnagie Hall audience! In the end, although I might at times feel annoyance with what he is doing, I always feel deeply satisfied and pleased, and simply happy. Perhaps that has to do with the fact that Horowitz is always engaging, and one sits and listens attentively to what sonic information he will come up with next. Beautifully recorded... and what a Chopin's B Minor Scherzo!!!! Nobody but Horowitz ever reached THAT level!

He does what he does!.......2003-12-27

While listening to this recital I kept thinking of a comment a friend made after attending a Horowitz recital (possibly this very one). I called him and naively asked if it was a good recital. He informed me that Horowitz's playing has nothing whatever to do with good or bad. He is just Horowitz. He does what he does. If you don't like it, don't go!
That's pretty much the way I feel about this recital. There's certainly plenty to grumble about. The Blumenstuck is anything but semplice, and the last movement of the Schumann sonata seems to entirely confuse Horowitz, as he throws in everything but the kitchen sink in an unsuccessful attempt to make sense of it. (For a far more coherent rendition, try Pollini's stunning performance on DGG.) "Traumerie" is also pulled to pieces with all sorts of phony inner voices and changes of tempo. Worst of all is the poor Chopin Waltz, where Horowitz's tendency to set off little "bombs" in the left hand combines with endless fussing around with tempo and phrasing to produce a terminally annoying performance.
So why the five stars? Because ultimately none of the above matters much. This is still Horowitz in hs late prime, complete, unedited, and quite well-recorded. The Rachmaninoff and Liszt works are superb, as are the Debussy and Moszkowski and the first three movements of the sonata. Love him or hate him, it's HOROWITZ LIVE this very night in your living room. Be there!

some spectacular stuff.......2003-10-03

the entire first CD is works by Schumann which are played well,

but the reason to get this CD is for the terrifying version of the b-minor scherzo of Chopin, absolutely awesome!
and the a-minor waltz is beautiful.
the rachmaninoff prelude in g-major is stunningly sensitive

this is some exciting playing!

Primarily for Horowitz fans.......2003-06-10

I can add only a little to an earlier review of this concert - which was right on the money. But for those that might be looking for the earlier lp issue of the Schumann sonata, one can now obtain the original lp issue of the sonata on the Philips' Great Pianist series where that performance in question has finally been reissued on CD. (This should not be confused with the RCA Horowitz plays Schumann disc, where an alternate, inferior, take was used.)
It is a matter of fact that both Sony and BMG has volumes of complete Horowitz recitals in their vaults. Having several boots of his concerts from the 70's, RCA did not always issue the better takes. (Or for tha matter, why didn't RCA issue VH's rarely performed Scriabin Nocturne for the left hand, which he played in '79?)
As far as this recital goes, it's a bit of a mixed bag, but it is true that he never played the same piece twice the same way. Horowitz fans will jump on this set - yet at the same time crave more recitals to be issued! Sony and BMG: Are you listening?

High Voltage Pianism.......2003-05-30

2003 marks the centennial year of the birth of Vladimir Horowitz. In commemoration, RCA has released the complete, unedited recital of November 16, 1975. None of the repertoire on this release is new to the Horowitz discography, but as the pianist never played the same works twice in the same way, the performances contain new insights.

The first half of the recital featured two works by Schumann which were somewhat off the beaten path. The Blumenstück (Flower Piece) is played in a considerably different manner than his live performance from 1966. The tempo is dramatically slower, with more rubato as Horowitz occasionally slows down to smell the roses.

The Sonata in F Minor, (sometimes referred to as the Concerto Without Orchestra) is a problematic piece. Horowitz's go-for-broke performance here is in marked contrast to the version he approved for release on LP in 1976 (and far superior to the botched CD "outtake" version on RCA 6680-2-RG). The pianist takes considerably more liberties in regard to tempo and rubato, and he takes a great number of risks technically (particularly in the second movement, which is very fast) which don't always pay off. That was the thing about Horowitz in concert: rather like a box of chocolates, you never knew what you were going to get. In the final analysis, the LP version (which is not available on CD) remains the benchmark performance of this piece.

Rachmaninoff's G major Prelude is played with loving tenderness and astonishing control of the lower levels of dynamics. The two Rachmaninoff Etudes-Tableaux (one of them was an encore) are given spasmodic, occasionally brutal "go for broke" performances which teeter on the brink of disaster, but remain remarkable for all that.

Liszt's Valse Oublieé and Au bord d'une source had been recorded by Horowitz before, but it's interesting just how much more effective these live performances are. Whether it's due to superior recorded sound, or perhaps because Horowitz was "in the mood" that day, the pianist perfectly captures the prismatic mystique of the forgotten waltz, and the bubbling brook of the water piece.

Horowitz recorded more music by Chopin than any other composer. The A Minor Waltz (Horowitz's favorite) is played in a brooding, inward manner altogether different from his straightlaced 1971 studio version. The B minor Scherzo, a Horowitz staple, is given a feverish, slashing performance similar in tempo and mood to his 1951 recording, building to a stunning climax and concluding with interlocking octaves replacing the usual chromatic scales.

The encores by Debussy, Schumann, Moszkowski and Rachmaninoff are a typical Horowitzian show (the pianist announces the encores, which he usually didn't do), and bring an effective close for the recital.

Customer Reviews:

The tradition of the new!.......2006-05-08

Respect the egregious significance of Vladimir Horowitz for the great Western audiences, I really should notice that Europe had lived a Century and a half of reluctant Romanticism, while North America was in another historical process; the recent musical history began to write with two important composers: Edward Mac Dowell, a beloved and admired friend of Frau Carreno and Louis Moreau Gotschalk, who accustomed to make those Gargantuan recitals such as that famous Concert with more than one hundred pianists on stage. Indeed, this was an imported costume of those Ages, where the concept of listening music had lessened the value; the visible decay of the music in the second half of the XIX Century is more than obvious. The ominous presence of composers of the artistic height of Richard Wagner, Johannes Brahms, Gustav Mahler and Anton Bruckner were concentrated in Germany and Austria; Frank in Belgium and Max Reger in Swiss, but if you take a look around the musical triviality lived in the rest of Europe (with counted and isolated exceptions)where the fireworks of Liszt, Thalberg, and Alkan filled the Concert Halls in Paris, with the elusive music of Lalo or Jules Massenet and the arriving of the new Midas King of the great Halls, Strauss dynasty, included Waldteufel captivated the audiences.

The emotion for watching a piano virtuosi simply had not prize. You should remind the famous tour undertaken by Anton Rubinstein in the last years of the XIX Century. Horowitz contributed conscious or unconsciously to perpetuate the legend. Effectively, he marked a`personal style at the piano; if not let me refresh you these names: William Kapell, John Browning, Gary Graffman. Lori Hollander, Byron Janis, Van Cliburn and Leon Fleisher, were notably influenced with this style. And please tell me who in a sensate state of mind, would be able to send to Europe his promising son or daughter where the flaming wrecks of the WW1 were in the air and the expected fears of a next confrontation was still to come.

Schnabel was a particular exception, since he was hired as Docent in USA, but its influence was relatively small. We should wait to the early Fifties to appreciate other styles and approaches; Gilels, Richter from USRR, Badura Skoda, Demus and Gulda from Austria, but still remained confined for dilettantes the renowned figures such as Edwin Fisher, Michelangeli, Myra Hess and Wilhelm Kempff.

His playing caused true furor during almost four decades. Horowitz now belongs to the legend.

Mature Horowitz And The Best Liszt Sonetto 104.......2005-10-04

I have not much to add to the other reviews. Horowitz made some of his very best recordings when he was already more than 80 years old, and this 2CD (+DVD) set contains many of them, as well as the best recording of Liszt's Sonetto 104 that I know of, or am ever likely to hear.

Truly Magical.......2005-04-17

This album showcases the mighty Vladimir Horowitz in his last years. His life of music is definitive in these masterful interpretations. In these pieces, Mr. Horowitz displays many new ideas on some pieces that have been played, assumed successfully, continually in the same manner.

Two instances - Scriabin's Etude, Op. 8 No. 12 and Mozart's Rondo, K. 511. The maestro's entrance is softer and slower in the former, and in the latter, as stated in the studio chatter, he speeds up the tempo to make it less of a profound statement. It was Horowitz who chastised the new age of pianists on their attempts to play everything slow and prophetic. I believe it was Mr. Horowitz that told David Dubal "Only very few pieces are meant to be played slow" (after comparing performance times of major piano works from the early part of the 20th century to the later part, you will see the difference).

The DVD included in this package is wonderful, but for those who enjoy a more classic approach to the classical period - do not anticipate simple aural enjoyment. Do expect to see one of the greatest pianists ever work his magic at the piano. Do look forward to watching a master correct a mistake by another master. Do count on a memorable experience.

Stunning.......2004-08-01

Horowitz is simply stunning, and this compilation is an absolute jewel. The added bonus of the DVD performance of Mozart's 23rd is the icing on the cake.

The piano as an extension of consciousness.......2004-07-25

Mr. Drake has written the definitive review of this recording, but I want to add a few things.
In these recordings, the piano seems merely an extension of Horowitz's consciousness. The translation from his head and his heart to the piano is effortless, and filled with emotion. While listening to this CD, I understood that Horowitz's flawless technique stems not just from a complete knowledge of the pieces, but from his love of the music. He makes the music his own like no other.
This is inspirational music, played by the greatest master of his craft at the height of his powers.
An added bonus is the DVD which accompanies the 2 CD's, a video of the studio recording of Mozart's 23rd piano concerto. Horowitz, in his 80's, has the innocence of a child, playfully joking with the producer, the conductor, the page turner. When he plays, it is with a sense of joy that seems to accompany all of the recordings in this set.
The productions values here are excellent, typical Deutsche Grammophon.
I'd give this recording a 10 if I could.

Average customer rating:

A great pianist
FULL OF MUSICAL RICHES
The greatest pianist I've ever heard
Longing for Schumann
Alexis Weissenberg , Piano : Logic, Passions and Poesy

Les Introuvables de Alexis Weissenberg

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Piano Concerto #2
Rachmaninoff: Preludes (complete)
Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli plays Mozart, Chopin, Brahms, etc. (Box) [Germany]
Chopin: Nocturnes; Mazurkas; Waltzes

ASIN: B00014EJ66
Release Date: 2004-05-05

Tracks:

Sonetto 123 Del Petrarca
Sonetto 104 Del Petrarca
Sonate In B Minor
I Grave - Doppio Movimento
II Scherzo
Marche Funebre: Lento
IV Finale: Presto

Tracks:

I Maestoso
II Adagio
III Rondo (Allegro Non Troppo)
Intermezzo In A Major, Op.118 No.2
Prelude
Fugue
Variation
Choral Nun Komm' Der Heiden Heiland (Viens, Sauveur Des Paiens), BWV 659
Variations La Ricordanza, Sur Un Theme De Pierre Rode

Tracks:

I Allegramente
II Andante
III Prestissimo
Prelude
Fugue
Forlane
Rigaudon
Menuet
Toccata
Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales
Danse Russe
Chez Petrouchka
La Semaine Grasse

Tracks:

I Allegro Ma Non Tanto
II Intermezzo (Adagio)
III Finale (Alla Breve)
I Andante - Allegro - Andante
II Tema Con Variazioni
III Allegro, Ma Non Troppo

Customer Reviews:

A great pianist.......2007-03-10

The Rachmaninoff and the Prokofiev Piano Concertos have no equal. It's a great collection.

FULL OF MUSICAL RICHES.......2007-02-26

This compilation of recordings by Alexis Weissenberg consists of some of his recordings dating from 1950 through 2004 which, I don't believe, were ever issued in the USA. (At least, I've never heard them!) What musical riches are contained in this 4 disc set which consists of some of the greatest works composed for the piano by great composers such as Liszt, Chopin, Brahms, Czerny, Ravel, Rachmaninov and Prokofiev (plus others) played by (in my opinion) one of the greatest pianist ever. I loved this compilation. Of course, I had favorites on the discs; I will now list some of highlights for me from this compilation.

The two "Sonettos" by Franz Liszt are gorgeous! Alexis plays them beautifully with much feeling. Surprising for me, (I usually don't) I even enjoyed the BIG "Mephistophelian" Liszt sonata in B minor--my god, Weissenberg plays the hell out of that work (no pun intended). One of my favorites, the Chopin Sonata #2 is given a splendid reading--the first two movements are played at a ferociously fast tempo; however, the "Marche funebre" is the most moving account of that movement that I've ever heard! Weissenberg's account of the last movement is most impressive--he never allows the tone to get any louder until the very last profound chord--wow! The Rachmaninov concerto #3 with Georges Pretre and the Chicago Symphony is wonderfully mysterious and very melodic. I also loved his recordings of the Ravel Concerto in G major plus Ravel's "Le tombeau de Couperin suite" and "Valses nobles" hearing Weissenberg play Ravel reminded me of a good glass of Champagne filled with many bubbles and with a great bouquet. The Prokofiev concerto recorded with the Orchestra of Paris and Ozawa is thrilling with its intensity--what virtuosity Alexis Weissenberg has! Weissenberg along with Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra give a wonderfully "full bodied" reading of Brahms 1st Piano Concerto--I've never heard the Philadelphia sounding any better--it is a great recording of a work that I adore!

I truly loved this 4 disc set (each running over 70 minutes) of some very GREAT piano playing. NO, I did not listen with score(s) in hand nor did I seek out other recordings of these works from my collection to compare Alexis' interpretations with. Instead, I allowed myself the luxury of sitting back in my favorite "arm chair" and simply enjoying these great works for the piano that are played by a Master of the piano! What really impresses me is that Weissenberg plays with very beautiful tone no matter how demanding the work may be--that is certainly the main reason I, for once, enjoyed the Liszt B minor sonata!

By the way, EMI has done a superlative job--the sound of ALL the works is great. Not once, was I aware that I was listening to an older recording. The sound is great!!

The greatest pianist I've ever heard.......2006-12-21

Personally, I regard Alexis Weissenberg as the greatest pianist I've ever heard. Although superb technically, Weisenberg is most outstanding for his incredible artistry. This set of recordings contains some of his greatest recordings -- indeed some of the greatest performances ever recorded by anyone. Very highly recommended.

Longing for Schumann.......2005-12-16

I saw Maestro Weissenberg in concert several times throughout the 70s in New York. Once he played the Rachmanninoff preludes. Another time an all-Schumann program. I once went to hear him with friends at Alice Tully Hall, a small room in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. After the concert we went backstage. He approached me, took my hand and said 'so nice of you to come.' It remains one of my favorite moments in my life. Having moved around a great deal in the last 30 years, I lost track of my recording of Carnaval and Sonata in B Minor. Sometimes if I lay quite still I can hear the pieces playing in my head. Won't EMI take pity on us mere mortals and release the recording soon? I think of it almost daily.

Alexis Weissenberg , Piano : Logic, Passions and Poesy.......2004-12-17

By: Frank Georg B e c h y n a,M.D.--General Practitioner--
D - 40235 Düsseldorf ( Germany / Allemagne )
Decembre 17 , 2004 -- FB/3

Who could listen to Maestro Weissenberg's many recitals during his career and has his recordings knows, that he belongs for all time to the Greatest Pianists . This compiliation was selectet by Mr. Weissenberg himself. CD 1 continues two of the most important piano sonatas . Liszt's b minor sonata 8 the second recording by Weissenberg ) ist tremendous. I have never heard the work from the lento - beginning , the phaenomenal played Grandioso to the Lento end. It is only comparable by the interpretation by Argerich, Barere and the young Horowitz. The 2nd sonata by Chopin is the Olymp of all of the 100 different intertretaions! The concertos of Rachmaninov ( d-minor ), Ravel and Prokoviec find a similar great interpretation in all cases also by the faboulos Martha Argerich . Pretere and Ozawa are on their highest levels . Also the superb Orchestras, especially the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Weissenberg's J S Bach "Nun komm der Heiden Heiland" is a gem !Never before - including Katchen and Arrau - i have heard the Intermezzo 0ßus 118 No 2 by Brahms in this analysis of what Brahms meant in his late piano works- a summary of his life .The 1st concerto of Brahms is a summary of the history of this singular work. The interpretation by Alexis Weissenberg is like a psychoanlysis of the soul in this monument ! When he plays Maurice Ravel I can compare these recordings only with the young Vlado Perlemuter, who had studied the works with the composer . And to all who say Mr Weissenberg's play is too intellectual, too
perfect in every technical detail should listen to the wonderful tone in Carl Czerny's "La Ricordanza" .when this record was made Alexis Weissenberg was just a liitle more than 20 years old. Who could play all these works today ???
Personally , I miss Robert Schumann's master works for piano solo, like the C majoe Fanatsy, opus 17, the"Humoreske" , the incomparable interpretation of his "Carnaval"-an interpretation Glenn Gould had admired so much -,the "Scenes of Childhood" . But : As far I have heard next year will follow the Schumann recordings reissued by EMI . Arur Rubinstein , Artur Schnabel, Mr. Horowitz , Gould, Madame Argerich admired Maestro Weissenberg's Art and personality as well as Harold C Schonberg, Norman Lebrecht or Bryce Morrison .
These 4 CDs are on a high technical level and - I must repeat it - all interpretations are outstanding . With a playing like this , full of passion , logic , poesy and tecnical perfectness Mr. Weissenberg will stay forever under the most impertant Artist and Pianists of all time . And he is a great personality ! Sometimes equally important !
Frank G. B e c h y n a

Tracks:

Mephisto Waltz No. 1
Tarantella
Rhapsodie espagnole
Pensee des morts
Saint Francois d'Assise prechant aux oiseaux
Benediction de Dieu dans la solitude

Tracks:

Ave Maria
Annees de pelerinage, 3eme annee, No. 2: Aux cyprde la Villa d'Este
Annees de pelerinage, 3eme annee, No. 3: Aux cyprde la Villa d'Este
Annees de pelerinage, 3eme annee, No. 4: Les jeux d'eau a Villa d'Este
Recueillement
La lugubre gondole
La lugubre gondole
Annees de pelerinage, 2e annee, No. 7: Apres une lecture de Dante, fantasia quasi sonata
Die Glocken von Rom: Ave Maria

Customer Reviews:

Magical.......2001-11-23

I'm not sure I can add much to what others have written. I particularly recommend the Benediction de Dieu dans la Solitude. Wonderfully poignant. I bought the first disc soon after it was first released, on its own, in the late 1980s. Some years later someone told me, when I asked why I hadn't seen Stephen Hough around for a while, that he had become a monk! I don't know if that's remotely true. But God would like this rendition too, I think.

Rhapsodie espagñole.......2001-11-14

(Review of the 1988 disc that makes up half this collection)

This is a stunner - some of the best Liszt playing I have heard. The rollicking aragonesca of the "Rhapsodie" inspires Hough to alpine feats of prestidigitation. I laughed with astonishment when I heard it. But for all of his super-pianism, his hallmark is control and refinement of tone. He's very much in the Earl Wild mold. Like Wild, his playing can verge at times on the precious as he strives for too delicate an effect. We never forget, however, that a unique intellect is at work. Our few misgivings pale beside music-making of this stature.

Are five stars enough?.......2000-04-09

Most Liszt recordings seem to feature his glittering and somewhat empty virtuosity. This set, to SH's credit, concentrates more on Liszt's profound musical subjects as well as his pianistic splendor. I listened in awe to the Benediction. In the same way, I was impressed with the St.Fransis and the Pensees. I think Liszt would have been proud to hear his work so well selected and played. The musical world should be happy that SH is a young man still able to record everything with DDD technology. It's a pity this is not the case with V. Horowitz

A rest to my hands, a bless to my ears........1999-09-19

Once I've studied classic piano, then I gave up. Listening now to Hough, I realise how I could never be satisfied with my playing, cause if there's someone like him to play, I'm glad to be just a listener. I have other versions of these songs, but Hough's always seems to me like the original ones. "Aprés Une Lecture de Dante" is my definition of perfection and the rest of the album comes along.

Superb.......1999-05-17

The album contains reissues of two different Liszt recordings, one from 1988 and one from 1992. The later disc is devoted to pieces from Liszt's final years; it is gratifying to finally hear this aphoristic, visionary music performed by a major artist. The 1988 disc contains "mainstream" Liszt, including a reading of the Spanish Rhapsody that is as incendiary as any on record. (In a conversation, Stephen Hough didn't exactly disown this performance, but he attributed some of its exuberance to an "overly enthusiastic" producer.) Hough has become one of the most fascinating pianists on the planet, and the album would be irresistible even without its bargain price.

Average customer rating:

A true bargain for piano lovers

Young Brendel: The Vox Years

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Beethoven: Variations & Vignettes

ASIN: B000059RXI
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Tracks:

Pno Con in D, Hob.XVIII No.11: Allegro
Pno Con in D, Hob.XVIII No.11: Un Poco Adagio
Pno Con in D, Hob.XVIII No.11: Rondo All'Ungarese: Allegro Assai
Rondo in D, K.382: Allegretto Grazioso
Rondo in D, K.382: Adagio
Rondo in D, K.382: Allegro
Pno Con No.27 in B flat, K.595: Allegro
Pno Con No.27 in B flat, K.595: Andante
Pno Con No.27 in B flat, K.595: Allegretto

Tracks:

Son No.26 in E flat, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': Les Adieux: Adagio-Allegro
Son No.26 in E flat, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': L'Absence: Andante Espressivo
Son No.26 in E flat, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': Le Retour: Vivacissamamente
Son No.17 in D, Op.31 No.2 'Tempest': Largo-Allegro-Adagio
Son No.17 in D, Op.31 No.2 'Tempest': Adagio
Son No.17 in D, Op.31 No.2 'Tempest': Allegretto
Son No.30 in E, Op.109: Vivace Ma Non Troppo; Adagio Espressivo
Son No.30 in E, Op.109: Prestissimo
Son No.30 in E, Op.109: Tema Con Vars
Eleven Bagatelles, Op.119: Allegretto in g
Eleven Bagatelles, Op.119: Andante Con Moto in C
Eleven Bagatelles, Op.119: Al'Allemande in D
Eleven Bagatelles, Op.119: Andante Cantabile in A
Eleven Bagatelles, Op.119: Risoluto in c
Eleven Bagatelles, Op.119: Andante-Allegretto in G
Eleven Bagatelles, Op.119: Allegro Ma Non Troppo in C
Eleven Bagatelles, Op.119: Moderato Cantabile in C
Eleven Bagatelles, Op.119: Vivace Moderato in a
Eleven Bagatelles, Op.119: Allegramente in a
Eleven Bagatelles, Op.119: Andante Ma Non Troppo in B flat
Vars 'Kind Willst Du Ruhigschlafen', WoO75

Tracks:

Fant in g, Op.77
15 Vars With Fugue On A Theme From Prometheus, Op.35 'Eroica'
Rondo in G, Op.51 No.2
Qnt in E flat, Op.16: Grave - Allegro, Ma Non Troppo
Qnt in E flat, Op.16: Andante Cantabile
Qnt in E flat, Op.16: Rondo - Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Rondo in B flat, G.151

Tracks:

Fant in C, Op.15 (D.760) 'Wanderer'
Three Pieces, Op. Posth. (D.946): No.1 in e flat
Three Pieces, Op. Posth. (D.946): No.2 in E flat
Three Pieces, Op. Posth. (D.946): No.3 in C
Slavonic Dances, Op.46: No.1 in C: Furiant - Alfred Brendel/Walter Klien
Slavonic Dances, Op.46: No.2 in e: Dumka - Alfred Brendel/Walter Klien
Slavonic Dances, Op.46: No.6 in A flat: Polka - Alfred Brendel/Walter Klien
Slavonic Dances, Op.46: No.8 in g: Furiant - Alfred Brendel/Walter Klien
Slavonic Dances, Op.72: No.1 in B: Odzemek - Alfred Brendel/Walter Klien
Slavonic Dances, Op.72: No.2 in e: Dumka - Alfred Brendel/Walter Klien
Slavonic Dances, Op.72: No.4 in D flat: Dumka - Alfred Brendel/Walter Klien
Slavonic Dances, Op.72: No.6 in B flat: Polonaise - Alfred Brendel/Walter Klien
Slavonic Dances, Op.72: No.7 in C: Srbske Kolo - Alfred Brendel/Walter Klien

Tracks:

Oberon
Il Trovatore
Tristan Und Isolde
Cantique D'Amour
Benediction De Dieu Dans La Solitude
Funerailles
Annes De Pelerinage Book II (Italie): Sonetto Del Petrarca 47
Annes De Pelerinage Book II (Italie): Sonetto Del Patrarca 104
Paganini Etude No.2
Paganini Etude No.3

Tracks:

Pno Con, Op.42
Pno Con in G, Op.55: Allegro Con Brio
Pno Con in G, Op.55: Moderato Ben Accentuato
Pno Con in G, Op.55: Toccata: Allegro Con Fuoco
Pno Con in G, Op.55: Larghetto
Pno Con in G, Op.55: Vivo
Petrouchka Ste: Russian Dance
Petrouchka Ste: In Petrouchka's Room
Petrouchka Ste: The Shrovetide Fair
Hungarian Rhap No.11
Mephisto Waltz No.1

Album Description

VOX is proud to present an irresistible 6 CD set taken from Alfred Brendel's remarkable 36 album discography with the company. Made during the early years of his unique career, these recordings rightly established him as one of the foremost pianists of the century. The repertoire covered the complete works of Beethoven, most of Schubert's solo pieces, several Mozart concerti, some of the cornerstones of Franz Liszt's output and many other works. This set is fascinating because his early interpretations are different from his current ones and they show a towering artistic maturity shining through a young man's buoyant fiery energy.

Customer Reviews:

A true bargain for piano lovers.......2001-06-22

Today Alfred Brendel is widely recognised as one of the greatest pianists of our day, but back in the 1950s and 1960s he was a secret known only to a select group of piano afficionados. In those days he made a series of recordings for the Vox label, which has kept them in print in various combinations ever since. This box set collects six hours' worth of the best. While he has a wider repertoire than most people acknowledge (from Bach to Schoenberg), Brendel's probably best-known for his recordings of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, and they form the heart of this collection. Brendel has also been one of the few pianists (along with Andras Schiff) to actively champion Haydn's piano music, and the recordings included here should go a long way to convincing any listener just how good they are. In the last three decades Brendel has pretty much re-recorded all of the works here (some more than once), in better sound and with even finer playing; but if you're a music lover on a budget, or just want to hear some remarkable performances, this box is well worth picking up at a bargain price.

Music Track:

Recommended Music:

Music: Debussy, Roussel & Milhaud: Orchestral Works

Field & Stream

Keep the Faith

Greek Folk Songs & Dances

John Mellencamp

Illegal Substance [Import]

Dmitri Roudnev "Original" Music for Ballet Class

Hi-Fly [Import] [Original recording remastered]

Frank Sinatra [Import]

Ganadores de los Premios: Que Buena

Soulful Truth

Maverick