Reminiscences

Reminiscences

ASIN: B000083XIV

Track Listings

1. You Got To My Head from "Fireside Piano"

2. Lately from "Because You Asked"

3. My Funny Valentine from "Pianistic Indiscretions"

4. Somewhere In Time from "Lingering Memories"

5. Moonlight Serenade from "Listen To The Calm"

6. Unchained Melody from "Piano Demitasse"

7. The Green Green Grass of Home from "Coutry Boy-City Boy"

8. Rustles of Spring from "The Classical Mistique"

9. Never My Love from "Autumn Song"

10. Rock of Ages from "All The Day Long"

11. Theme from "Chess" from "Phantasmic Broadway"

12. Pieces of Dreams from "Wish You Were Here"

13. Tuxedo Junction from "Wandering and Remembering"

14. Tenderly from "Warm Moonlight Piano"

15. The Twelfth Of Never from "Mood Country"

16. I've Got You Under My Skin from "In a Purple Twilight" *

17. Theme From "True Gift" from "Echoes of the Old West" *

18. Someone To Watch Over Me from "Celestial Gershwin"

Editorial Reviews
D Magazine, p.108, November 1980
Newell Oler plays Roger Williams-style dramatic runs, and he often throws in "the classics", such as Chopin polonaise

Product Description
This is a collection of the best songs from past albums as well as from upcoming releases of the famous artist Newell Oler, Pianist Extraordinaire.

Reminiscences

Tracks:

Applause
Abegg Variations, Op.1
1. Allegro [Piano Sonata in C, H.XVI No.50]
2. Adagio [Piano Sonata in C, H.XVI No.50]
3. Allegro molto [Piano Sonata in C, H.XVI No.50]
1. Allegro con fuoco ma non troppo [Fantasy in C Major "Wanderer"]
2. Adagio [Fantasy in C Major "Wanderer"]
3. Presto [Fantasy in C Major "Wanderer"]
4. Allegro [Fantasy in C Major "Wanderer"]
1. Missing Moon [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
2. Beans [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
03. Herdboy's Song [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
4. Blue Nun [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
7. Red Wilderness [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
5. Ancient Burial [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
6. Floating Clouds [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
8. Sunrain [Eight Memories In Watercolour, Op.1]
Nocturne No.8 In D Flat Op.27 No.2
Reminiscences de Don Juan, S. 418 (after Mozart)
7. Tr=E4umerei [Kinderszenen, Op.15]
Horses (after pieces by Huang Hai Hwai, Chen Rao Xing and Shen Li Qun) - Arr. by Lang Lang and Lang Guo-ren
Liebestraum No.3 in A flat, S.541 No.3

Amazon.com

This is a dazzling recital, taped live at Carnegie Hall in November 2003--complete with applause. Lang Lang's virtuosity is almost frightening: the Liszt "Reminiscenses du Don Juan" is a showpiece when played "normally." Here, Lang plays it to its extremes, with soft passages amazingly soft and subtly delineated and the bigger moments heaven-thundering. And it is played so fast, and so accurately (a cascade of notes in mid-"La ci darem la mano" sounds like a waterfall), that it leaves the listener breathless--surely just what Liszt wanted. In a Haydn sonata, Lang's classical line is impeccable, but he's not afraid to shine through the music and embellish occasionally. The Schumann "Traumerei" is suitably dreamy and hushed; Schubert's "Wanderer" Fantasy, a real crowd-pleaser, is just that--beautifully played, familiar yet fresh sounding. And an encore, with Lang's father playing a two-string fiddle called the erhu, is a fascinating look into Eastern music. There's more (this is a 2-CD set), and it's stunning--and highly recommended for all admirers of great piano playing. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Worst Wanderer Fantasy EVER?.......2007-02-14

I can't believe the positive reviews this recording has gotten. Don't believe the hype folks; Lang Lang may have technique to burn, but most 1st-year conservatory students possess at least the same interpretive depth, if not more. When he isn't indulging himself in interpretive excess, then Lang Lang is playing as if he really doesn't care much at all.

His Schubert is garbage. Let him stick to playing Chinese compositions unknown to Western audiences, because virtually none of us will have any way of drawing comparisons between his interpretation and that of others. I can only assume that his interpretation of Dun Tan is the definitive version --- but I doubt it.

Pianistic Glory at its best!!!!.......2006-11-07

Wow!!
I have read several of the 'negative' reviews here and can only conclude (after viewing the DVD four times and counting) that what may be going on with these folks is something they themselves simply don't understand (about themselves!). They cannot or will not accept that here with Lang Lang, as with Evgeny Kissin (ever notice?) the world is being introduced to the next and even greater generation of pianistic virtuosos, young prodigies who can do everything that Horowitz and even Lizst ever did and more... I have no doubt those two would agree were they alive today. Karajan wept (for joy)when he heard the young Kissin perform Chopin's Fantasy in F# minor, Mehta was so taken with Kissin's performance under his baton that he could not refrain from hugging the young boy after a stellar performance... Andre Watts, not often praising his contemporaries, mused about finding the nearest bridge to jump off after hearing Kissin play realizing he was not in the same league and one other recent winner of an International Competition had to pull his car over to the side of the road, he was so taken with Kissin.... yes, I know it seems like I forgot we are talking about Lang Lang.... Lang Lang can do everything Kissin can and maybe more...Are we to believe that these aforementioned individuals are musical idiots prone to such actions?!!

Folks! accept it, embrace it and thank God for it!... just as he did when simultaneously brought Chopin and Liszt to our world in the early 1800's (they were the same age except for a year) He has now given us another Double Blast of Pianistic Glory in Kissin and Lang Lang! Pity those who can't get beyond their envy, jealously, general jadedness with life... or whatever ails them... they need help, lots of help!

As for me and many like me (BTW, it doesnt count for much but I am a pianist myself)... we are so grateful and blessed to have these 2 young men and the miracle of DVD technology to bring their concerts right into our living room!

An outstanding performance and story of a child prodigy.......2006-06-14

Lang Lang has the charm of an ebullient child as he plays the piano. I have never seen a pianists enjoy himself with such gay abandon, a delight that lured me into a space of complete attention. I sat with a smile on my face thoughout most of the performance. However, his wonderful performance air was only second to his pianism. You will gasp in awe during Reminiscenses de Don Juan. Lang Lang conveys powerful energy though the piano without losing the delicate touches and grace. The skill is a contradiction that few virtuosos have. Bravo!

Most Impressive!.......2006-05-18

When I first heard Lang Lang on the Internet, I thought he only played fast. When I heard him again (this time live), I thought, wow! He really is amazing! Lang Lang was born in 1982 in Shenyang, China. He started piano at the age of three, and played in his first public recital at age 5. He studied piano with many teachers. I love piano, too. Although I am not going to be like him, I must say that he is one of a kind. When he plays, he doesn't just play. He feels it, too, and uses his body to show his different emotions. And he's only 23!

Trust the peanut gallery? Or trust experts. Your choice ..........2006-01-05

o Lang Lang. German Echo Klassic 2004 Award Winner. Best Pianist.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echo_Klassik

o About this Carnegie Hall recording? The one given some pretty bad reviews from the peanut gallery? Well, the recording won a 2005 Amadeus Austrian Music Award. And a DVD of this recital with documentary footage won the 2005 "Music DVD of the Year" Echo Klassik Award.

Music has always been interpretive and a vital mark of virtuosity is having your own voice - Lang has his own voice and he masterfully distinguishes himself with it. Lang is a refreshing draft of fresh air in a typically stagnant arena. Technically, the kid can flat out play. Period. Interpretively, he is bold, unafraid, and lets it all hang out.

Nuff said ...

Cheers!

Average customer rating:

Don't downrate a CD because of a missing piece - please!
Bolet is outstanding
Great selections; technically great but dull performance
Great Liszt compilation
Missing The Famous Hungarian Rhapsody #2

Liszt: Favourite Piano Works

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Chopin: Favorite Piano Works
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ASIN: B00000427O
Release Date: 1995-11-14

Tracks:

Liebestraum No. 3 In A Flat Major
Mephisto Waltz No. 1
Funilles
Rniscences de Don Juan
La campanella
Die Forelle
Erlkonig
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 In C Sharp Minor

Tracks:

Consolation No. 3
Sonetto 104 del Pentrarca
Les Jeux d'eau a Villa d' Este
Au bord d' une source
Gnomenreigen
Un sospiro
Rigoletto
Sonata In B Minor - Lento assai
Andante sostenuto
Fugato

Customer Reviews:

Don't downrate a CD because of a missing piece - please!.......2005-07-15

This is an excellent representative 2-CD bargin set of Liszt's piano works played by a recognized expert pianist in this repertoire. The other reviewers (i.e. those w/ 5* ratings) have made their points well. What continues to bother me in many of these classical CD reviews is 'downgrading' a CD by several stars, if not more in some cases, because the listener is irked at the lack of a feature that has nothing to do w/ the performance on the recording. Such is the case here - a 3* rating because one piece was mislabelled is ridiculous - rate the music & performance first, please. If there is a problem unrelated to the performance (sound quality, liner notes, etc.), then simply state that in your review. I often look at the overall rating to determine if I even want to consider a classical CD & read the reviews - knocking off a star or two because of petty complaints is not justified.

Bolet is outstanding.......2005-01-23

There are many Liszt performers, and while Bolet was known to never substitute technical perfection for feeling, there is a great balance to his playing. 'Un Sospiro' is played on the slow side, every melody note can be heard perfectly, while his interpretation and rubato are heart stopping. While I don't agree with his Liebstraum (the honor of greatest playing is held for Cliburn on this piece, if you haven't heard him play it, go buy the CD, now), the lesser played works such as the Elf King transcription more than makes up for it. If you want a technically perfect, clear, sometimes very moving performance of Liszt, Bolet is for you (I prefer him infinitely over Cziffra, although I may be alone on that one). Postscript: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 is NOT No. 2, this is an error on Amazon's part, and also on the other Bolet albums, it is indeed no. 12 and not 2.

Great selections; technically great but dull performance.......2004-04-09

I know this pianist Jorge Bolet is supposed to be one of the world's greatest. But I bought this as a replacement set when I temporarily lost my Phillips "Best Of Liszt" set and couldn't live without Liszt. I was sadly disappointed on the selections that overlap. While some of my favorite selections (Liebestraum, Mephisto Waltz) are actually longer here, they simply do not stir my soul as much. The pressure of the notes, the timing, something indefinable just isn't the same in this recording as in the Phillips one. The quality of sound reproduction is fine, the piano-playing is certainly correct and crisp (maybe TOO crisp?), and again, the variety of the pieces chosen is commendable, but I recommend the Phillips 2-disc set over this one. There ARE some very interesting selections of not just Liszt's original works but also some of his arrangements or adaptations of other's works, i.e., the Shubert pieces and La campanella (from Paganini).

Great Liszt compilation.......2003-12-23

Bolet's finest moments on this two-fer are the Schubert-Liszt transcriptions - you'd almost think 'Who needs a voice?' But he's equally good in the aforementioned Mephisto Waltz, and the operatic journey through Mozart's Don Giovanni.

The cons are here too: Bolet's RCA Liszt recital has better, less cautious versions of Liebestraum, Un sospiro and Funerailles. The Sonata is tremendous overall but in the end I'd rank it just a little below the best - particularly Brendel, Richter and Arrau. Yet all these renditions have great merits - even the ones Bolet surpassed himself. This Liszt compilation is overall very good.

Missing The Famous Hungarian Rhapsody #2.......2003-05-27

Although the listing at Amazon.com says this CD contains Hungarian Rhapsody #12, A.K.A #2, it does NOT have the famous #2 in C Sharp Minor. It is indeed #12. Since I bought this CD specifically for Hungarian Rhapsody #2 in C Sharp Minor, I was disspointed that it was not included. It is Liszt's most famous song, at least in my opinion. If you are looking for this song, I would suggest Hungarian Rhapsodies Vol. 1, by Jeno Jando.

Average customer rating:

Ethereal LIszt in Superb Sound
A great collection of Liszt treasures
An excellent collection of Liszt interpretations.
Liszt for the ages.

Liszt: Piano Works

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Brahms: Works for Solo Piano
Works for Solo Piano
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ASIN: B00005ND3L
Release Date: 2001-10-09

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:

Danse Macabre, Op. 40: Danse Macabre, S555 - R240
Nuages gris (Trube Wolken), S199 - R78
Unstern: sinistre, disastro, S208 - R80
Reminiscences des Huguenots, Grande fantaisie dramatique sur des themes de l' opera Les Huguenots de Meyerbeer (2nd and final version), S412 - R221
La lugubre gondola I, S200: 1 - R81: 1
La lugubre gondola II, S200: 2 - R81: 2
Impromptu ('Nocture'), S191 - R59
Totentanz, 'Danse Macabre', S525 - R188

Amazon.com

The sound could be better, but Arnaldo Cohen's whirlwind technique and rapier temperament is tailor-made for the demanding transcriptions presented here. By contrast, the Brazilian pianist imbues the cryptic late Liszt works with tenderness and mystery. A disc no Liszt maven should pass up, especially at Naxos's bargain price. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Planned spontaneity .......2007-03-24

People who shy away from ''classical'' - or ''serious'', as some would put it - music for its supposedly greater depth and sounder intellectual basis should make acquaintance with one of the funniest, wierdest and most imaginative composers of all time, the Hungarian virtuoso Franz Liszt. Totentanz is the closest thing to Iron Maiden and Andrew Lloyd Weber that we have in classical music. It always reminds me of "Fear of the Dark" and "Jesus Christ Superstar". It's so trivial, gratuitous, frenzied, shallow, pointless, ugly, flamboyant, showy and outright over-the-top that it borders on ridicule. One gets embarassed upon hearing it. Some of the music in this disc is so unashamedly bad and shallow that it becomes utterly funny and hugely entertaining. Arnaldo Cohen has succeeded more spectacularly than anyone before him in conveying the sheer excitement and the very well planned spontaneity of these pieces. His fiery playing and absolute command of dynamics and colour are breathtaking. He's undoubtedly one of the most intense and impressive pianists to have ever played this music (by the way, he's a great Schumann interpreter too). Other highlights of this recording are the irresistible and haunting ''Unstern: sinistre, disastro'' and the chilling ''Danse Macabre''. Nuage gris is an interesting attempt at atonality and the Impromptu is beautifully and masterly played. After all is said and done, it's a wonderful and exciting recording (provided you don't take some of these pieces too seriously). I've constantly found myself getting back to it lately. I dare to say it's a must-have.

One of the best Liszt CD's out there.......2006-06-29

I'm sure most of us are familiar with the countless CD's out there by Bolet, Brendel, Kissin, Horowitz, even Hamelin of encore Liszt pieces. You know the type: Liebestraume No. 3, Un Sospiro, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, La Campanella, Mazeppa et al. While these pieces are certainly good, I find myself tired of seeing these same types of recordings. It seems every professional pianist has his own Liszt CD of music that we've heard twenty other pianists play.

Then comes along Naxos' idea for the Complete Piano Music of Liszt (perhaps following Leslie Howard's success) and their first CD is probably one of the best Naxos Liszt CD's in existence. The musical selection and the pianist is what makes the CD shine. Before getting this CD I had never heard of Arnaldo Cohen, but this guy plays Liszt just right; superb, sensitive, stunning, and what other good adjective starting with an "s" I could think of.

The first piece, a piano transcription of Saint-Saens' 'Danse Macabre' is testimony to Liszt's ingenuity of transcription for the piano. There aren't that many recordings of this. Cohen's performance is chilling, exciting, and sounds like it's summoning a troupe of dancing skeletons from the piano. The second gloomy 'Nuages Gris' is a staple of late Liszt and is played solemnly as it should be, a soft and murky touch. The 'Unstern: sinistre disastro' is startling in its modernism and evocation of an impending misfortune or evil. As a composition it also shows Liszt's prolific genius.

Next on the list and going back to the Lisztomania days, the 'Reminiscences des Huguenots' by Cohen is, in my opinion, the best interpretation of this splendid fantasy. Leslie Howard's countless recordings of the first, second, final and other version pales in comparison. There is something about Cohen's flight and dynamics on the piano. His tempo and phrasing, his refusal to rush through tender moments, but also his sense enough to speed up a bravura section is quite refreshing. The piece is a great fantasy from Liszt's touring days.

The two 'La lugubre gondolas' are the most darkly disturbing and heartfelt pieces of the Romantic piano oeuvre. Only Alkan stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Liszt in making the piano a morbid and bleak instrument of sadness. Inspired by R. Wagner's death, they are amazing, haunting, beautiful and seductive.

If the choices so far haven't left me beyond contented, a colossal monster of a composition launches itself at the very end. The 'Totentanz' is an underappreciated work of Liszt. With all the Piano Concerto No. 1 and 2's out there, this one should be higher in its popularity. It's a work of genius, combining demonic power and at times grace together into an epic set of variations on the 'Dies irae' theme. What makes it outstanding on this CD in particular is that the work for orchestra and piano is transcribed to the single piano here; to me, the result and performance of Cohen's effort sounds better than Howard's playing.

Again, I must reiterate the original and exquisite repertoire on this CD; the choices of music here expose Liszt's great piano works that have sadly been under the radar for a while.

If you enjoy Liszt or any of the Romantic period piano music, this is a must-have. I think this CD is one of the best of Liszt that I own; highly recommended.

Somehow I missed this one when it first came out.......2003-06-28

I've only recently become familiar with the playing of Arnaldo Cohen, and I've gotten several of his recordings in the last month or so. I'm impressed by his red-blooded playing. He's not one of those cookie-cutter competition-winning note-spinners, but tends to put more of his own passion into the performance. Of course, that's important with repertoire on this Liszt disc. Just listen to the coruscating 'Danse macabre,' Liszt's arrangement of Saint-Saëns's symphonic poem. It will peel the paint off your listening-room wall.

He plays both versions of 'La lugubre gondola,' something we rarely get, and certainly not in recital. He manages to make them very different.

This is mostly late Liszt, the exception being the 'Huguenots' piece which, I have to admit, does go on a bit too long. That's Liszt's fault, not Cohen's. He does all that can be done with it.

I've always been struck by the unsettling 'Unstern' ('Dark Star', as some translate it, but I've come to think of it as Liszt's 'Black Hole' because it's so weird and modern-sounding) ever since I heard it as an encore played by Garrick Ohlsson years ago. It's one of those forward-looking, almost-atonal things that Liszt has, in latter years, gotten more and more attention for. Liszt subtitled it 'sinistre, disastro' and Cohen infuses those qualities into this strange little masterpiece; it is head and shoulders above Leslie Howard's pale performance from his complete Liszt traversal. The only other worthy competitor that I'm aware of is Pollini on DG.

Finally we have a chillingly effective performance of the solo piano version of 'Totentanz', Liszt's exhaustive workout on the Dies irae. I've always preferred it to the piano-and-orchestra version, which is more commonly heard and recorded.

This is volume one of Naxos' ongoing series of complete Liszt piano music; they are using a different pianist for each CD and they certainly picked a good one to start with.

Scott Morrison

A Portrait of the Virtuosity and Mind of Franz Liszt.......2000-04-25

This is a brilliant and wonderfully priced CD! If you enjoy the works of Liszt, then get this CD. The selected works here detail, in my opinion, the darker, more emotional pieces written/transcribed by Liszt. This includes Nuages gris and the 2 Lugubre gondola pieces, all considered to be "experiments" in mood and tonality. In Nuages gris, Liszt pours out some of his darker emotions, possibly related to the turmoils of his life with women, composition (and its critics, to which there were many), and old age (since this was one of his last works). Many dislike these darker works, but there are a few, such as myself, who find an inherant beauty to them. Of course, the album is also full of Liszt's virtuoso piano writing, which Mr. Cohen pulls off in fine fashion. Totentanz features some amazingly fast runs, while also filling in for the rest of the orchestra (this is an orchestral work of Liszt's which he condensed for piano). This album pays homage to the often misunderstood genius of Franz Liszt, and is a worthy addition to any collection. (Oh, and the price doesn't hurt either :)

Average customer rating:

Stop
The way Liszt lives
Focused on Virtuosity
Astounding playing from the superman of the piano
Lisitsa is a Hag

Marc-André Hamelin plays Liszt
Franz Liszt , and Marc-André Hamelin
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
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Paganini Studies / Schubert March Transcriptions
Marc-André Hamelin Live at Wigmore Hall
Godowsky: The Complete Studies on Chopin's Etudes
Marc-Andre Hamelin: It's All About the Music
Kaleidoscope

ASIN: B000002ZXV
Release Date: 1997-01-10

Tracks:

Apparition No. 1 In F Sharp Major S155 No. 1
Waldesrauschen S145 No. 1
Un Sospiro S144 No. 3
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 10 In E Major S244
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13 In A Minor S244
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 In C Sharp Minor S244
Nuages gris S199
En reve - Nocturne S207
Reminiscences de Don Juan S418

Customer Reviews:

Stop.......2007-03-04

I guess it's time for Hamelin to quit playing the piano before he makes all other pianists, past and present, look like clumsy amateurs. I think Hamelin is a mean person who should be arrested for murdering the reputation of the most cherished piano legends. Someone please stop this man!

The way Liszt lives.......2006-08-11

Marc-André Hamelin once again shows us how Liszt should be tackled with his superhuman piano technique. This is the technique that enables Liszt's music to be respected among the people of classical music world. He plays so gently, but relentlessly at the same time that allows him to give the piano what it really deserves.

Look carefully at his interpretation of "13th Hungarian Rhapsody", the way he divides the piece into two completely different parts. "Un Sospiro", then. Having given a Liszt recital early this year (playing this piece), I almost cried when I first heard him play it. The beauty, the "sigh" effect. And of course, the cadenza of "2nd Hungarian Rhapsody" and "Reminiscences de Don Juan". I am speechless.

You will never regret buying this CD.

Focused on Virtuosity.......2006-04-29

I have bought several Hamelin CDs recently - this one, Scriabin and the Composer Pianists. All are benchmarks for technique. Perhaps the ease with which he navigates the obstacles is the problem, I just don't get the feeling that his heart is in it. And I'm tired of hearing his recurring mantra about how virtuosity is artistry in itself. I don't agree. While I'm happy to hear how he avoids the pounding that Ashkenazy inflicts on Scriabin, he could use more of Vladimir's emotion. Perhaps I just don't "get along" with his style well enough. I think he's trying too hard to be different. If you want to hear breathtaking technical performance and excellent recorded sound, then by all means, this is a great choice.

Astounding playing from the superman of the piano.......2005-09-06

When I listened to this CD for the first time, I was truly blown away. Not only this, but I knew that people would slate Hamelin's playing for being 'too technically orientated, or lacking 'soul'', which I personally think is an absolute load of nonsense.
Never have I heard such natural, controlled interpretations of Liszts music. Where many pianists have suffered under the immense technical demands of pieces such as Hungarian rhapsody No2, and the Reminiscences de Don Juan, Hamelin effortlessly succeeds. However there is so much more to his playing than this, contrary to what has been said on many of the reviews on this page. people seem almost offended by his level of natural intuition, his innovativity (is that a word??!), his innate musicality. Eveything on this disc, and I mean everything, has been intimately thought about and polished to the point of jaw dropping control and authority. The final product is truly wonderful.
His Un Sospiro is faster than usual - yet it feels so natural. It really sounds as though the piano is breathing (Un Sospiro translates as - A sigh). Alot of people have been incapable of playing this piece at full speed simply because of the technical difficulty (myself included). Hamelin's interpretation however, is relentless in its tempo and ultimately sensitive in its structure. Beautiful.
The Hungarian Rhapsody number 10 - not well known at all, in fact the only other recording I have heard is by Cziffra, which I love as well. However, one can not get around the basic fact that Hamelin's recording is better. His tone, his control, his sense of humour, all shine in this piece. The middle section, quite simply composed of ascending and descending scales played at light speed, is sloppy and wild in Cziffra's recording. It is for this type of composing that Liszt was slated by is contemporaries - but I believe that he was focussing on a different type of composition. He was concerned not so much with harmony, and progressiveness in his music, but more with timbre, and creating sound effects on the keyboard. Hamelin bears this out in his middle section, playing elegantly, and at a quite simply baffling speed. Hearing him move his fingers this fast is hilarious, and he does it on purpose - he's a joker.
His Hungarian Rhapsody No 2 is wonderful. His rubato is natural, his dynamics in the opening movement are sensitive, and above all beautiful. His own cadenza is fantastic - where alot of people believe the way to a musical end is to trawl through pages and pages of Beethoven and Bach etc, Hamelin stays in the spirit of Liszt and concerns himself with other musical ideas. This is my favourite recording of this piece.
The Don Juan fantasy is staggering. Where the opening of the piece can drag on if it is played too slowly, Hamelin takes it up a notch. The excitement, the trauma, the utter and absolute bliss just shine through at every possible moment - the second variation especially. His gentleness of touch, the rubato, it really is as if he were telling a story with his playing. You can feel his excitement as he gloriously plays through pages and pages of this rich and beautiful music. The final encounter is magic - the level of difficulty in the closing pages of this piece is really ridiculous, but as usual Hamelin storms through with seeming ease and musical intelligence of someone twice his age and experience.
Enough ranting - Mr. Hamelin, you are the finest pianist of today. Just because he is not a traditionalist gives no one the right to slate his playing - I have always been a firm believer that one should judge something for what it is, not for what it isnt. Bearing this in mind, I will be surprised if you dont fall in love with his playing just as I have. Now to listen to my new Alkan CD :D

Lisitsa is a Hag.......2005-07-03

Whoever recommended Valentina Lisitsa's Don Juan over Hamelin's ought to be horse-whipped. Of all of the recordings of that piece I have heard, Hamelin's is second only to Earl Wild's. Lisitsa's, on the other hand, has to be the WORST, even worse than Lang Lang's. Pyrotechnics be damned, she was SO fast and SO careless that it sounded more like a Warner Brother's cartoon than Liszt. One man once said "she's a tall, attractive blonde and that's all she sells," but frankly all I see in her is a spoiled 4-year-old playing with fire. If you want proof, view a video of her performance here...

http://www.valentinalisitsa.com/valhome.html

Go to the video section and look for Don Juan. But believe me, it is not worth your time.

Hamelin is the greatest virtuoso of our generation. He isn't perfect and can often get a little too carried away, but when he's on, he's on. If you haven't heard him play, do yourself a favor and pick up one of his CD's. You will not regret it!

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The Art of Virgil Fox Vol. 2
!

Art of Virgil Fox, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Art Of Virgil Fox
Virgil Fox Encores
The Wanamaker Legacy
Bach: Great Organ Works
Heavy Organ At Carnegie Hall 1973

ASIN: B000002S76
Release Date: 1996-04-23

Tracks:

We All Believe in One God
Fantasia on The Old Hundredth
Perpetuum Mobile
Giga
Love's Old Sweet Song
Kamenoi Ostrow (Reve Angelique)
Poem
A Dream (Ein Traum)
Dreams
At Dawning
Minuet in G
Calm As The Night
A Perfect Day

Customer Reviews:

The Art of Virgil Fox Vol. 2.......2007-04-01

I find the recording quality of this CD to be very good. As a child I had the opportunity to meet the organist Virgil Fox through my mother, who was a friend and colleague of his (she was the soprano soloist at the Riverside Church where he was organist - the Riverside Church is also the place where the recordings were made). I also heard Mr. Fox live and found him to be a first-class artist. I can recommend the CD without reservation. Alexander Stevenson

!.......2003-11-19

This CD is just a small sample of the greatness of Virgil Fox. However, it is a must-have. It demonstrates the breadth of works which Fox mastered and in the more sentimental songs, those which he beautifully interpreted during his illustrious career; and these recordings at Riverside Church are an indispensable part of his legacy. The program starts with the majestic "We All Believe in one God", where we hear the control of dynamics and unique way Fox played Bach. Vaughn-Williams' work is an interesting fantasia on the familiar religious tune. The highlight of the CD is the Perpetuum Mobile. A favorite concert piece of Fox, it is an amazing flurry of notes, showing his amazing mastery of the pedalboard, and building to a tremendous crescendo and brilliant arpeggio. Giga is a rapid, merry piece which romps along in the manuals. Tracks 1-4 are the virtuoso organ pieces. Starting with Love's Old Sweet Song, # 5-13, the great interpretations of transcriptions, songs, and sentimental American pieces begin. The piano work Kamenoi Ostrow is a great transcription. A Dream and Calm as the Night are beautiful songs which are beautifully styled on the organ. In short, buy this CD - it is a musical and masterful recording.

Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition: Joyce Yang, Silver Medalist

Average customer rating:

Joyce has a big heart and huge sound
Makes Horowitz and Rubenstein Sound like novices !
Definitely Yang, and not Yin: An Inspiring Young Pianist to Watch!
A True Treasure

Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition: Joyce Yang, Silver Medalist

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
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Twelfth Van Cilburn International Piano Competition: Alexander Kobrin, Gold Medalist
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The Twelfth Van Cliburn Piano Competition - In the Heart
Olga Kern: 11th Van Cliburn Int'l Piano Competition 1
Stanislav Ioudenitch: 11th Van Cliburn Int'l Piano Competition 2

ASIN: B000B66OP8
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Tracks:

Overture
Courante
Gavotte I & II
Passepied I & II
Sarabande
Bourree I & II
Sarabande
Bouree I & II
Reminiscences De Don Juan
Piano Sonata No.1
Piano Sonata No.1
Sonata In D Major, K.492
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6

Customer Reviews:

Joyce has a big heart and huge sound.......2006-09-15

I've seen 2 master classical pianists, Mitsuko Uchida, and Joyce Yang. I have Mitsuka's 5 CD box set of Mozart on Phillips. I was told it took Spivey Hall, on Clayton College Campus in Atlanta 20 years of consecutive invitations before they could schedule her recital, Halloween, Oct 31st 2002. I was 2nd row, what I call the handkerchief section. Violinist Mark Steinberg accompanied her that memorable evening of Mozart's five violin Sonatas. My favorite performance still, was Joyce's Silver Medal recital inside Harris Concert Hall, in Aspen, July 2nd, 2005, performing Bach, Vine, Scarlatti, Currier, Chopin & Liszt. I sat front row center at Lakewood Cultural Center for Joyce's March 23 2006 recital, and 4th row again in Aspen for her Prokofiev piano concerto with the Aspen Festival Orchestra, July 2nd 2006. All 3 times I was greeted by her with a hug backstage Aspen and in the public lobby at Lakewood. She has a magnetic, sparkling, bubbling, wonderful spirit and personality, is constantly laughing off all the well deserved fans praises, and even introduced me to her Mom. I told her it's becsause of her sophomore yr high school tour to Decatur, Illinios' Millikin University recital, that my Mom attended that I discovered her prior to winning the Van Cliburn silver. Oh, and Alexander Kobrin, did not "blow away the competition", during the 17 day competition in the opinion of some judges and reporters of the Dallas Morning News who proclaimed "Joyce Yang...won the heart right from the start... She's a brilliant pianist and million-volt presence on stage". Whew, I'm going again 4th row to see Joyce with the Colorado Symphony Oct 1st 2006. Also reccommend Jennifer Lim, Canadian pianist, Juillard & Curtis Institute trained, with perhaps the finest Chopin recording on the Green House label.

Makes Horowitz and Rubenstein Sound like novices !.......2006-02-27

Listened to her perform at Barns at WolfTrap much the same works that are on the CD. Yang is an exceptional performer who really does excel in all of her work. She is a rising star and this CD is a must have!

Definitely Yang, and not Yin: An Inspiring Young Pianist to Watch! .......2005-10-24

Joyce Yang won the silver medal at the recent 12th Van Cliburn Competition. She also received first place for the best performance of a contemporary piece; and first place for the best performance in chamber music (with the Takacs string quartet.) If you have a chance, take a look at the DVD of the competition--where her chamber performance is briefly shown. A testament to the respect and chemistry between her and the Takacs string quartet is that she has been invited to perform with them on one of their next tours.

Joyce Yang is young but she is not a newcomer--she came from Korea to study at Juilliard and won a competition to perform with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the age of thirteen, playing the same Prokofieff Concerto #2 that she performed in the final concerto round of the Van Cliburn. Her playing is clean and musical. There is a maturity and a grasp of the music that is palpable. Plus, she has a charismatic personality that imparts passion and a plucky sense of humor. What I can't figure out is how someone with such thin arms and fingers can play with such stamina and musicality. She "gets" really complex music, like the Vine sonata...and then rolls right into the Liszt right afterwards.

Joyce Yang has the potential to become a truly great pianist. How she matures as an artist and grows as a person will be watched with great interest. Buy this CD!! I hope she records with the Takacs Quartet--buy that one too if it comes along!

A True Treasure.......2005-10-16

Ms Yang plays with a maturity that far exceeds her age of 19. For those that have had the privalege of viewing her performance at the 12th Van Cliburn Competion know the pure depth of emotion she expresses through her music. Treat yourself to her wonderful performance. Your spirit will soar!

Average customer rating:

Liszt: The Great Transcriptions

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Jean-Yves Thibaudet ~ Liszt - Opera Transcriptions ~ Wagner · Mozart · Donizetti · Verdi · Gounod · Tchaikovsky
Franz Liszt: Schubert Song Transcriptions
Franz Liszt: Années De Pèlerinage
Dvorak: Piano Concerto; Schubert: 'Wanderer' Fantasy / Richter, Kleiber
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No.2; Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.5 "Emperor"

ASIN: B0000041MP
Release Date: 1997-06-10

Tracks:

Waltz from Gounod's Faust
Polonaise from Tchaikovsly's Eugine Onegin
Illustration #2 (les patineurs) from Meyerbeers Le Prophete
Spinning chorus from Wagner's Der fliegende Hollander
Elsa's Bridal Procession from Wagner's Lohengrin
March from Wagner's Parsifal
Widmeng (after Schumann)

Tracks:

Reminiscences de Norma (Bellini)
Rigoletto
Ernani
Il Trovatore: Miserere
I Lombardi: Salve Maria de Jerusalem
Aida: Dansa sacra e duetto finale
Do Carlo: Coro di festa e marcia funebre

Liszt at the Opera: Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases, and Transcriptions, Vol. VI (Complete Music for Solo Piano, Vol. 54)

Average customer rating:

A grand finale to the series
Some of Liszt's best opera transcriptions here

Liszt at the Opera: Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases, and Transcriptions, Vol. VI (Complete Music for Solo Piano, Vol. 54)

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
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Liszt at the Opera, Vol 4
Liszt at the Opera II
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Liszt Transcriptions of Berlioz, Chopin, Saint-Saëns
Schumann: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1 & 3

ASIN: B00000IAE4
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

La Fiancee: Grande Fantaisie Sur La Tyrolienne De La Fianc- First Version, S385i
Ernani: Premi Paraphrase De Concert - S431a
Les Huguenots: Rniscences Des Huguenots - 2nd Version, S412ii
La Sonnambula: Fantaisie Sur Des Motifs Favoris De L'op La Sonnambula - 1st Version, S393i
Lucia di Lammermoor: Marche Des Tchrekesses De L'op Rouslan Et Loudmila De Glinka - 1st Version, S406i

Tracks:

Lucia Di Lammermoor: Valse A Capriccio Sur Deux Motifs De Lucia Et Parisina - 1st Version, S401
Tannhauser Und Der Sangerdrieg Auf Wartburg: Ouvert R Wagners Tannher - S442
I Puritani: Rniscences Des Puritains - 2nd Version, S390i
Der Freishutz: Fantasie Uber Themen Aus Webers Der FreischS451
Il Giuramento: Rniscences De La Scala - S458

Customer Reviews:

A grand finale to the series.......2006-08-24

Leslie Howard and Hyperion have brought us a glorious plethora of Liszt's neglected operatic transcriptions/fantasies; ambrosia to the Lisztian or Romantic piano lover. While the previous volume lost some steam a bit, only able to deliver a few new pieces in the midst of numerous revisions, this final recording makes up for that. To the person familiar with the previous volumes, you'll notice more alternate versions on these CD's that were recorded in previous volumes. However, the newly recorded fantasies and transcriptions here make up for the duplicates extremely well.

First, I'll mention the "alternate versions" here that can be heard on previous volumes. The Auber Grande fantaisie (first version) is presented here, but was also found on the previous Vol. 5. However, do not be mistaken in thinking it a near duplicate. Compared to the previous (third) version at 11 minutes, this "first" version almost makes 15. Liszt tacks on an extra 4 minutes of thematic enhancements, decorations, and extended phrases. I actually prefer this first version over any other.

The famous warhorse (seems like a favorite of Howard's) the Reminiscences des Huguenots makes its third appearance, this time as the "second version." The version is a good 7 more minutes than the first version but only a few seconds more than the third version on the previous volume (sorry if that makes your head spin). In other words, it's not that different to my ears and so there's nothing new here, really.

The Bellini fantasie on La Sonnambula, the Reminiscences des Puritains, the Glinka transcription, and the Donizetti valse a capriccio are more alternate versions that don't offer much new music material or startling contrasts. Only to the astute listener or Liszt aficionado will there be any significant differences or reasons to enjoy them over the previous versions recorded.

Now for the new stuff: The Ernani Premiere paraphrase de concert is a wholly original work, quite different from the Ernani paraphrase found on Vol. 1. New thematic material from the opera is given an extended fantasy-like intro, which makes way for that recognizable haunting theme which Liszt puts through a set of variations. While I prefer the darker mood found in the other paraphrase, this one has a beautiful eloquence and extended elaboration of the main theme not heard in the first paraphrase.

The colossal transcription of the Tannhauser overture is given its flawless execution here. This is probably the most perfect delivery, beating even Moiseiwitsch's famous recording and many other contemporaries who gave it a shot. Indeed, I think Howard's interpretation and performance *the* best you can find of this titan piano work. On a concentrated listening you will not find a single mistake, nor signs of exhaustion by the final explosion of chromatic octaves. Liszt, himself, often commented how he preferred not to play it in his old age because of the immense physical requirements. I don't know - that somehow makes Howard's efforts even more amazing. It's top-notch in technique and has no hints of roboticism; instead, Howard plays with an indefinable warmth and a clear articulation of the fiery Lisztian grandeur found in the virtuosic end.

Next up is the Fantasie on Themes from Weber's Der Freischutz, not to be confused with the transcription of the overture found on Vol. 1. Liszt weaves a reflective and impassioned fantasy here, accentuated and bolstered by the wonderful Der Freischutz themes. It's not as heavy or focused on the lower bass of the piano as the overture commanded, but its delicate melodies and gradual progressions create a new mood out of the work; in simple words, it's lovely.

As Liszt was inclined to do in his days, he wrote fantasies based on many obscure operas and composers. The obscurity comes as a surprise to me when I hear this fantasy on an opera by Mercadente. It is based off of Mercadente's 'Il giuramento' opera and contains some evocative music ranging from warm beauty to passionate meditations. The fantasy, or Reminiscences de La Scala is one of Liszt's best minor operatic fantasies. Its music and romantic lyricism recalls just as much emotional power as his Liebestraumes, Consolations and romantic-inspired fantasies like the Les Adieux or the Tristan and Isolde love-death scene. It's original, fresh, seductive, gorgeously rich with great melodies, and a thrill ride of romance and passion.

Bottom line: Howard has given us a spellbinding, immaculate and much-appreciated series: Liszt at the Opera. I'm sad to realize that this is the final volume and so there won't be any more great operatic paraphrases or transcriptions to hear. But it's been a great run and truly a milestone in Liszt recording. Face it: no one else has supplied such oustanding premiere recordings or had the guts to play some of Liszt's unjustly neglected pieces. It's their loss, I say, because anyone who enjoys Liszt will find some of the most brilliant high-quality music of his oeuvre here. This should not be missed by any one who has an interest with Liszt or has heard the previous "Liszt at the Opera" series. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Some of Liszt's best opera transcriptions here.......2001-07-12

Volume VI concentrates on longer pieces: Reminiscences des Huguenots (Meyerbeer), Fantaisie on La sonnambula (Bellini), Tannhauser overture (Wagner), etc. Solid final entry in the "Liszt at the Opera" series. Highly recommended.

Earl Wild: Virtuoso Piano Transcriptions

Average customer rating:

Magnificent panorama of transcriptions
Outstanding Grammy winning CD

Earl Wild: Virtuoso Piano Transcriptions

Manufacturer: Ivory Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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The Virtuosity of Earl Wild
Earl Wild at 88
Earl Wild - Living History 'At 90'
Earl Wild Plays Johannes Brahms
Earl Wild's Legendary Rachmaninoff Song Transcriptions

ASIN: B00001XDQM
Release Date: 2000-07-18

Tracks:

Saint-Sa/Earl Wild: Le Rouet d'Omphale, Op.31
Handel/Earl Wild: Air and Variations - The Harmonious Blacksmith
Chopin/Earl Wild: Larghetto, from Piano Concerto No.2 in F minor, Op.21
Rachmaninov/Earl Wild: Midsummer Nights Op.14, No.5
Tchaikovsky/Pabst: Paraphrase on 'Sleeping Beauty'
Faurarl Wild: Improvisation on 'Aprun r'
Bach/Earl Wild: Hommage oulenc
Mozart/Backhaus: Serenade from 'Don Giovanni'
Churchill/Earl Wild: Reminiscences of 'Snow White' Whistle While You Work - I'm Wishing - One Song - Heigh Ho - Someday My Prince Will Come
Tchaikovsky/Earl Wild: At the Ball
Tchaikovsky/Earl Wild: Dance of the Four Swans from 'Swan Lake'
Johann Strauss, Jr./Tausig: One Lives but Once
Kreisler/Rachmaninov: Liebesleid

Album Description

This exceptional recording is largely devoted to Earl Wild's own dazzling piano transcriptions. Mr. Wild received a Grammy® Award in 1997 for this disc of Thirteen Virtuoso Piano Transcriptions. It is being re-released on Ivory Classics® in honor of Earl Wild's 84th birthday! Praised by critics and music lovers around the world as a "stunning document of musical sensitivity and virtuosity" and "a tribute to America's greatest pianistic treasure" - this CD is now available in its original 24-bit HDCD state-of-the-art audiophile sound.

Customer Reviews:

Magnificent panorama of transcriptions.......2007-03-08

Is there any other pianist like Earl Wild? For over 60 years he has proven to be a performing giant, making critics swoon and audiences enthralled. His recording output is even more epoch-making; his preference for peppering some odd obscurities into such recordings is a blessing. But his discography is not as significant as his phenomenal interpretations of what he plays. His ability to render Thalberg, Godowsky, Beethoven, Chopin and Rachmaninov with absolute poise, ravishing passion or thrilling bravura is what makes his recordings such a treasure. So I was enthusiastic when I first saw this particular recording, piano transcriptions that I knew would be given the best artistic treatment.

While there are a few common pieces here (Kreisler-Rach's Liebesleid and Strauss-Tausig's Valse Caprice No. 2), most of these are Wild's own piano transcriptions. His selection of pieces to transcribe is both perplexing and exciting at once: Saint-Saens, Handel, Tchaikovsky, Faure, Rachmaninov, Bach and Chopin. Throughout the entire disc, Wild is spiritually absorbed and technically brilliant. There isn't a single piece here that seems lackluster after Wild's poetic phrasing and refined virtuosity operate together.

I think the most notable works here are the Saint-Saens, Handel, Chopin, Pabst and Rachmaninov. Although I've never heard Saint-Saens's Le Rouet d'Omphale symphonic poem, Wild's engrossing and virtuosic transcription conjures exorbitant drama and lyricism. The central section is rather simplistic for its repetitive theme taken through different keys, but it is still gorgeous and powerful. I found a comment in the liner-notes most interesting regarding this transcription: "As a model Earl Wild does not use Saint-Saens' own rather spare piano version, but returns to the original orchestral score, incorporating many orchestral effects into his 1995 transcription."

Wild's transcription of the Larghetto from Chopin's PC No. 2 enables the piano to exhibit all of the nuances of the orchestral version. But upon hearing it, one forgets that an orchestra was even involved in the first place. It sounds like an original Chopin work, even with the noticeable difference in the agitated central section which once relied on orchestral tremolos. It would be an understatement to say Wild translates the music marvelously to solo piano. In Handel's Harmonious Blacksmith variations, Wild showcases a meticulous pianistic reproduction and doubly impresses with his exuberant performance. The Rachmaninov song "Midsummer Nights" is a rousing and passionate piece that sounds like an original piano work from the Russian master. But Pabst's Tchaikovsky paraphrase is the main blockbuster, full of beautiful intensity and exquisite reinventions of Tchaikovsky's grand themes from Sleeping Beauty. The last piece I'll remark on is Wild's own Reminiscences of Snow White, a peculiar endeavor that leaves me with mixed feelings. It wasn't my favorite piece because it sounded rather banal at times; one might even use the stereotype "elevator music." But relistening to it many times at least reveals to me that Wild superbly unifies Churchill's Disney themes. And he is in his prime when he embellishes the themes with dazzling flights in the style of a 19th century virtuoso. While the rest of these pieces deserve commentary, I think they pretty much speak for themselves.

Bottom line: This repertoire may not look interesting at a first glance, but I implore the reader to sample this. You'll not only find hidden gems (Mozart-Backhaus, Strauss-Tausig and Pabst) but also some glorious transcriptions from Wild's pen (Saint-Saens, Handel and Chopin).

Outstanding Grammy winning CD.......1999-12-03

This CD is a reissue of the 1996 SONY disc which won a Grammy (Wild's 80th birthday album). The Grammy awards do not always select the best CDs, but in this case, they really picked a winner. These is one of the finest piano discs in years, and will likely become a classic. Wild's own transcriptions dominate the disc, and they show true originality and charm. I hope Wild records a follow-up to this album with Ivory Records, which has produced a large number of classic piano discs recently. A must have for anyone who enjoys the piano, or the lost art of transcription.

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