Liszt: Mephisto Waltz No 1, Mazeppa

On this CD:

1. Mazeppa, symphonic poem for orchestra, S. 100 (LW G7)
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by New York Philharmonic
Conducted by Kurt Masur

2. Work(s), Mephisto Waltzes 1-4, for orchestra, piano or piano, 4 hands No 1
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by New York Philharmonic
Conducted by Kurt Masur

3. Theatre Overture
Composed by Zoltan Kodaly
Performed by New York Philharmonic
Conducted by Kurt Masur

4. Háry János, opera, Op. 15
Composed by Zoltan Kodaly
Performed by New York Philharmonic with Myron Romanul
Conducted by Kurt Masur

Tracks:

No.1 Ce Qu'On Entend Sur La Montagne After Hugo, S95
No.2 Tasso: Lamento E Trionfo After Byron, S96
No.3 Les Preludes After Lamartine, S97
No.4 Orpheus, S98

Tracks:

No.5 Prometheus, S99
No.6 Mazeppa After Hugo, S100
No.7 Festklange, S101
No.8 Heroide Funebre, S102
Mephisto Waltz No.2, S111

Tracks:

No.9 Hungaria, S103
No.10 Hamlet After Shakespeare, S104
No.11 Hunnenschlacht After Kaulbach, S105
No.12 Die Ideale After Schiller, S106

Tracks:

Die Wiege
Der Kampf Um's Dasein
Zum Grabe (Die Wiege Des Zukunftigen Lebens)
I: Faust
II: Gretchen
III: Mephistopheles Schlusschor/Final Chorus/Choeur Final: Alles Vergangliche Ist Nur Ein Gleichnis

Tracks:

I: Der Nachtliche Zug
II: Der Tanz In Der Dorfschenke (Mephisto Waltz No.1)
I: Inferno
II: Purgatorio

Tracks:

Allegro Maestoso
Quasi Adagio
Allegretto Vivace - Allegro Animato
Allegro Marziale Animato
Adagio Sostenuto Assai
Allegro Agitato Assai
Allegro Moderato
Allegro Deciso
Marziale Un Poco Meno Allegro
Allegro Animato
Schubert: Wanderer-Fantasie, D760, S366
Weber: Polonaise Brillante 'L'Hilarite', J268, S367

Tracks:

Fantasie Uber Ungarische Volksmelodien, S123
Fantasie Uber Motive Aus Beethovens 'Ruinen Von Athen', S122
Grande Fantaisie Symphonique Sur Des Themes De 'Lelio' De Berlioz, S120
Malediction, S121
Totentanz, Paraphrase Uber 'Dies Irae', S126

Customer Reviews:

From a music lover, not a critic.......2007-04-10

Many of these performances are new to me. That is the beauty of being 59 years old and still learning. My knowledge of classical music is based on what moves me. While others talk about all the other versions and other conductors, I just want to let other people know that these recordings give me great pleasure. While some may find Michel Beroff to be less than adequate, I enjoy his renditions of the piano concertos. I have heard other renditions and find that they all have their places. These concertos move me a great deal. That is my only criteria.

Masur - Champion of Liszt.......2003-12-19

Before he became the embattled leader of the New York Philharmonic, Kurt Masur made a name for himself by making brilliant recordings with the Gewandhaus-Orchester Leipzig, these Liszt Orchestral Works foremost among them. It is delightful to have these recordings in print again, and for them all to be collected on seven discs in an inch-thick paper box set is even better. Masur's performances of the "Tone Poems" in particular rank among the best of all-time, along with Haitink and Golovanov in my opinion (see my review of the latter on his "Great Conductors of the 20th Century" title). Also included in this set are the works for Piano and Orchestra, and while Michel Beroff's renditions don't quite measure up to my favorite accounts by Arrau, Cliburn, Janis, Katchen, Richter or Zimerman, they are certainly first-rate. Oddly, my only complaint is that EMI seems to have taken the "slim" out of slim, paper-sleeved box sets with their latest batch of releases. Both this title and the new "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist" box are noticeably thicker than previous EMI sets featuring a similar number of discs. A minor point, but us serious classical collectors need every centimeter of space on our increasingly crowded CD shelves.

Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies, Mazeppa, Les Preludes

Average customer rating:

Mostly fine, exciting conducting, but sloppy execution
Scherchen's At His Best Here In The Tone Poems
Explosively Colorful Performances

Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies, Mazeppa, Les Preludes
Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005RIH3
Release Date: 2001-11-13

Tracks:

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 1
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 4
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 3
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 5
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6

Tracks:

Les Preludes
Mazeppa
Hunnenschlacht
Mephisto Waltz No. 1

Amazon.com

This collection of Scherchen's stereo Liszt is, like virtually everything this idiosyncratic conductor did, an electrifying experience. The Hungarian Rhapsodies are staples of orchestral pop concerts and encores, but Scherchen approaches them as profound dramatic tone poems. The opening of the first rhapsody, with its steady tread leading to a wistfully nostalgic theme accompanied by grave brass in the background, immediately lets you know that the conductor will wring everything he can out of the piece. When the full orchestra picks up the theme, it's stated as a declamatory pronouncement, a harbinger of drama to follow. When the dance kicks in about half-way through, he brings a lilting lightness that's all the more unexpected from what has come before. One could multiply such examples many times throughout these two discs as Scherchen turns Mazeppa into a heroic narrative rather than the bombastic, splashy orchestral showpiece of lesser conductors. Les Préludes has the necessary weight and inner spark, and even Battle of the Huns, a distinctly lesser work, comes off as more than listenable. Here's music-making from the gut! --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Mostly fine, exciting conducting, but sloppy execution.......2005-10-10

I can think of three inspiring conductors--Igor Markevitch, Jascha Horenstein, and Scherchen--whose careers were relgeated to second- and third-rate orchestras. All had shots at major orchestras from time to time as guest conductors, and this spilled over into occasional recording dates. But far too often one has to filter out or listen through sloppy, thin, ill-tuned, or even incompetent execution.

In this case Scherchen was more fortunate. Technically, the Vienna State Opera Orchestra is the same as the Vienna Philharmonic--they take this name when they play in the Staatsoper. So it's baffling why the musicians are so spotty here. They sound reasonably involved, and Scherchen's conducting is galvanic at times, but when you listen to "Les Preludes," for example, it's painfully clear that this orchestra couldn't match a good student orchestra at Julliard or the semi-amateur Boston Philaharmonia.

In the Viennese system there are three or four levels of seniority, and these could be entry-level musicians. But I suspect that in the lean decade after WW II, the Vienna Phil. licensed out its name to Westminster and Vox, while the actual orchestra personnel were pickups.

In any event, Scherchen is a natural conductor with excitable tendencies, and he does his best to turn a lot of claptrap into serious music while not shortchanging us on the fun of hearing these stumbling warhorses rally to the call one last time. I wouldn't say, however, that Scherchen is blazingly inspirational. He's just in good form, which is good enough for me in these works.

Scherchen's At His Best Here In The Tone Poems.......2005-05-14

DG/Westminster has a done a fine job on the transfers here - they are fully equal to my old stereo Westminster LPs. This set is self-recommending to Scherchenphiles, as it contains the conductor's only recorded accounts of the Liszt tone poems and Mephisto Waltz #1.

My affection for "Les Preludes" goes back to the early 1950's when, as a child, I got much of my exposure to classical music on Saturday mornings by watching TV. Then, as now, most cartoons featured classical music selections as background music (e.g., Grieg's Peer Gynt, Rossini's storm music from Barber of Seville, etc.). Often shown were the old 1930's "Flash Gordon" serials, where Buster Crabbe and his colleagues Dale Arden & Dr. Zarkoff went off to the planet Mongo to battle against the Merciless Ming. Their spaceship always took off and landed - invariably in a slow spiral - to the music of Les Preludes.

I have managed to hear nearly every recorded performance of what is still my favorite Liszt tone poem. Among those I no longer own are the incredibly tepid Haitink, the boring Masur, and the typically dispassionate Karajan. Even my Furtwangler LP version is disappointingly tame. Knappertsbusch is just too stately. There is an excellent 1947 mono account by Stokowski and "His" Symphony Orchestra on Cala CD 0522. This Scherchen account strikes me as one of the two best in stereo - the other is the better-played Silvestri/Philharmonia (in his 10 disc "Collection" set on Disky - see my review). Scherchen scores in the more assertive brass sections, while the Romanian is more poetic in the lyrical moments. Better than either is the splendid 1940 Weingartner/London Symphony (on his volume in IMG's "Great Conductors" series). But, for me, the very best of ALL Les Preludes recordings is the incredibly impassioned 1929 Mengelberg/Concertgebouw (Andante), one of the greatest performances of ANYTHING ever recorded.

"Mazeppa" is pretty bombastic any way you cut it - it's not really one of Liszt's better works. Scherchen's is my favorite stereo account, while Golovanov (IMG) is my preferred mono version. In the "Battle of the Huns," Scherchen gives the finest reading I have heard. In the Mephisto Waltz, he shares top stereo billing with Paray (Mercury) and the exuberant Rene Leibowitz on Chesky's CD "The German Album" (which also contains a great account of Schumann's "Rhenish" Symphony). But if I could have only one recording, it would be the sensitive 1940 reading by Liszt pupil Weingartner (with his Les Preludes on IMG).

Scherchen's Six Hungarian Rhapsodies here are more problematical. I regard Scherchen as unquestionably one of the last century's finest conductors, and I own (LP & CD) nearly everything he ever recorded. But truth to tell, many of his records were made with distinctly second-rate "pick-up" ensembles. Frankly, a lot of the playing here by the so-called "Vienna State Opera Orchestra" is pretty untidy. The interpretations are marvelous, but Scherchen had a much better orchestra to work with in his earlier mono recording with Beecham's Royal Philharmonic (called the "Philharmonic Symphony of London" for contractual reasons). These were originally on superb Westminster "Lab Series" LPs, which equaled the fabled Mercury "living presence" LP issues for their exceptional recorded sound. Those mono accounts were, to my ears, the finest ever recorded: Scherchen's musicians dig into the gypsy rhythms with unrivalled brio, and in #3 the pungent tones of a cimbalon (not used in the Vienna version) add some wonderfully tangy colorations to the music. A private CD transfer - nearly as good as the original LPs - was available recently on the internet from an outfit called Haydn House. If you are a Szell or Reiner fan, you really need to hear Scherchen in front of a top-tier orchestra like the Royal Philharmonic - he's as good as they ever were.

Recommended for the tone poems and the Mephisto Waltz.

Explosively Colorful Performances.......2002-04-16

These classic (true stereo) recordings of Liszt tone poems and rhapsodies were made in Vienna by Westminster in the late 1950s and are now reissued by Deutsche Grammophon. They sound better than ever in DG's exemplary CD transfers. Hermann Scherchen has come to be remembered chiefly as a champion of twentieth century music, beginning with Mahler; it's good to be reminded how well he conducted the 19th century repertory. Scherchen had a real love for music as dramatic and colorful as this, and ever since their original Lp issue these performances have been recognized as something special. Mostly, Scherchen's achievement is due to his sincere conviction that Liszt's music is better than its reputation. Too often, conductors turn in wishy-washy Liszt performances because they mistrust Liszt's sound and try to refine away the vulgarity. Not Scherchen. Where others heard vulgarity and held their noses, Scherchen (like Bartok) appreciated the elemental vitality of Liszt's music and reveled in its theatricality. You will not hear more dramatic or vibrant Liszt performances than these. So shell out a few bucks, and prepare yourself for an over-the-top, Great Romantic 'Pops' treat. Even "Les Preludes" and the Second Hungarian Rhapsody come up sounding fresh and newly minted!

Average customer rating:

Liszt: Piano Works

Manufacturer: Lydian
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Sonata In B Minor
Rhapsodie Espagnole
Nuages Gris
Mazeppa
Mephisto Waltz No. 1

Average customer rating:

Ethella Chuprik and Liszt piano works

Liszt: Piano Works

Manufacturer: Amadis
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Rachmaninov: Piano Works
Rachmaninov, Rubinstein: Piano Concertos
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas 8, 14 & 23
Brahms: Hungarian Dances (Complete)
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto Op35; Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Op77

ASIN: B00000IKSK
Release Date: 2000-10-07

Customer Reviews:

Ethella Chuprik and Liszt piano works.......2001-04-21

I have to say it has taken me quite some time to track this CD down. I owned a recording of this CD when it was printed under the Lydian label. This is a recording of Ethella Chuprik doing Lizst piano sonata in b flat, rhapsode espangol, mazeppa, and mephisto waltz. I have listened to alot of different recordings of the above, including Leslie Howard's interpretations on Hyperion records, and I have to say this is truly a brilliant interpretation and performance of the work. Both the piano sonata and the mephisto waltz are by far some of the best recordings I have heard of these pieces. Ethella Chuprik builds into crescendos that are absolutely gripping. While this is a budget label, the sound quality is remarkable. While I am not sure what type of piano this was recorded on, it has the richness of a steinway, and the airiness of a concert hall, with none of the superfluous noise that can sometimes ruin a good concert hall recording. In any case, if you could not tell from the above, I am very enthusiastic about this recording. I hope you enjoy it too.

Liszt: Rarities, Curiosities, Album Leaves and Fragments

Average customer rating:

A fantastic quadripartie recital by lisztian Leslie Howard
Liszt you won't hear anywhere else

Liszt: Rarities, Curiosities, Album Leaves and Fragments

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | 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:

Liszt at the Opera: Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases, and Transcriptions, Vol. VI (Complete Music for Solo Piano, Vol. 54)
Locatelli: Concerti Grossi, Op. 1 - The Raglan Baroque Players / Nicholas Kraemer / Elizabeth Wallfisch
Liszt: Excelsior! and Other Rare Original Works
Liszt at the Opera II
Liszt: Beethoven & Hummel Septets and Other Transcriptions

ASIN: B00001QGSD
Release Date: 1999-09-07

Customer Reviews:

A fantastic quadripartie recital by lisztian Leslie Howard.......2004-07-04

If you're a fan of this series, then you will be interested in hearing these first drafts and fragments. It is intriguing to see how several of the Album-Leaves' tunes were to later become the main themes of some of Liszt's popular works.
In this volume, I especially value the solo piano transcriptions of some of Liszt's symphonic poems (Mazeppa being my favorite, although as Mr. Howard explains, all these transcriptions were actually done by Liszt's pupils, with the master reviewing each transcription and then giving his approval).
My most favorite piece, of sheer delight, is on disc 4, the Pasztor Lakodalmas. Many thanks to Leslie Howard for discovering this utterly charming piece and making it available for us to hear!

Liszt you won't hear anywhere else.......2001-07-12

Four CDs of unpublished or recently discovered Liszt piano music, much of it very very nice indeed. Some first drafts, fragments, discarded pieces...a hodgepodge! But if you're a Liszt completist like me you won't want to be without it. Many thanks to Leslie Howard for his scholarship (and playing, of course) in this volume.

Average customer rating:

The last rue romantic
Kurt Masur delivers a winner!

Liszt: Mephisto Waltz No 1, Mazeppa

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

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000000SI2
Release Date: 1996-01-09

Tracks:

Mazeppa
Mephisto Waltz
Theatre Overture
Hary Janos Suite: Prelude. The Fairy Tale Begins
Hary Janos Suite: Viennese Musical Clock
Hary Janos Suite: Song
Hary Janos Suite: The Battle And Defeat Of Napoleon
Hary Janos Suite: Intermezzo
Hary Janos Suite: Entrance Of The Emperor And His Court

Customer Reviews:

The last rue romantic.......2002-05-29

There is no doubt in my mind that, with a few minor exceptions here and there (Shostakovich, Britten), that Kurt Masur's legacy with the New York Philharmonic will be, besides the introduction of new works by some contemporary composers, mainly his true strength and engagement in 19th century music classics. This is where I feel he and the orchestra are best, and feel most at home. The sound of the NYPO is better and more typical than ever on this CD, with a crispness and a majesty that has many times been somewhat lacking in emotionally perceivably 'cooler' 20 th century music.
Masur has always been convincing with his Liszt, and here he excells again with his almost 'stubborn' rythm, his chivalry and his unmatched 'teutonic' discipline leading to an easyness of style, passion and yes, elegance. The orchestra sounds like a well tuned machine and puts finally some coals and fire under its hood! And, of course: Kurt Masur - The towering knight, the last true romantic, of his generation at least.

A must have!

Kurt Masur delivers a winner!.......1999-09-07

Both the Liszt selections on this CD are played with great style and class. Masur also delivers the best Hary Janos Suite I have ever heard! Once you hear this suite performed by Masur and the NY Philharmonic, you won't want to own any other version. This CD has a great sound, a great orchestra, a great conductor, and a great performance!