Franz Liszt is universally celebrated as one of the greatest-ever virtuoso performers on the modern piano. Contemporary accounts describe his seemingly superhuman technical abilities and equally striking charisma and stage presence. Yet Liszt was a formidable composer, and his expansion of pianistic possibilities was achieved as much through innovation in his own great piano works as through his astonishing performance on the instrument, if not more. Like many child virtuosos thrust early into busy concert careers (Liszt's began at the age of nine) he retired early, weary of the spotlight, turning his back on the stage at the remarkably early age of 35. Since he lived to the likewise remarkable old age of 75, much more than the latter half of his life was devoted solely to composition, and having been a pianist of his calibre, the works he created for his own instrument were indeed groundbreaking. Showcasing the demanding pieces in this set - from the thundering of Liszt's virtuoso side to the mysticism of his deeply spiritual side - are 15 renowned pianists on recordings dating from 1994-2016. Liszt's piano works may be divided into several diverse categories. These include the virtuoso showpieces based on themes from operas (Isoldens Liebestod Alexander Gavrylyuk, Wagner Transcriptions François Dumont, Bellini and Donizetti Transcriptions Mark Viner, Verdi and Beethoven Transcriptions Michele Campanella); religious-inspired or devotional works (Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude and 2 Légendes Irene Russo) the spare, enigmatic pieces from his last years (Trübe Wolken, En reve, Bagatelle sans tonalité Philipp Kopachevsky and La lugubre gondola Misha Dacic); a ground-breaking sonata regarded as an iconic work of the repertoire (Sonata in B minor Philipp Kopachevsky); and numerous piano transcriptions of other composers' non-operatic works (Grandes études de Paganini Goran Filipec, Beethoven Symphony No.6 in F Op.68 'Pastorale' Michele Campanella). The set concludes with a grand gesture, as Nelson Freire is joined by the Dresdner Philharmonie under Michel Plasson for Liszt's two well-loved piano concertos. Franz Liszt was without doubt one of the greatest (if not The Greatest) pianists of all time, as well as an innovating and visionary composer, in one word...a Genius! This set presents an extensive survey of Liszt's piano works, grand scale or intimate, thundering or tender, passionate or devout. In these works we find all Liszt's pianistic innovations, feats of jaw dropping virtuosity, unheard-of sonorities and future-looking asceticism. All genres of his pianistic output are present: original works like the complete Hungarian Rhapsodies, the Complete Studies, Années de Pelerinage, Ballades, Polonaises, Mephisto Waltzes and the immortal Sonata, Opera Paraphrases and Fantasies, Beethoven Symphony transcriptions and the Piano Concertos and Totentanz. Performed by an extraordinary line up of present day pianists: Enrico Pace, Vincenzo Maltempo, Nelson Freire, and many more. Recorded between 1994 and 2016. This set comes with new liner notes written by Philip Borg-Wheeler.
CD 1 | |||
1 | Ungarische Rhapsodien Nr. 1-19 S244 | ||
2 | Nr. 2 cis-moll | 00:12:38 | |
3 | Nr. 3 b-moll | 00:05:16 | |
4 | Nr. 4 Es-Dur | 00:05:22 | |
5 | Nr. 5 e-moll: Héroide-élégiaque | 00:09:56 | |
6 | Nr. 6 Des-Dur | 00:07:05 | |
7 | Nr. 7 d-moll | 00:05:35 | |
8 | Nr. 8 fis-moll | 00:07:16 | |
9 | Nr. 9 Es-Dur: Pesther Carneval | 00:11:21 | |
CD 2 | |||
1 | Nr. 10 E-Dur | 00:06:04 | |
2 | Nr. 11 a-moll | 00:05:57 | |
3 | Nr. 12 cis-moll | 00:10:18 | |
4 | Nr. 13 a-moll | 00:10:09 | |
5 | Nr. 14 f-moll | 00:12:53 | |
6 | Nr. 15 a-moll: Rákoczy Marsch | 00:05:50 | |
7 | Nr. 16 a-moll | 00:05:00 | |
8 | Nr. 17 d-moll | 00:02:55 | |
9 | Nr. 18 fis-moll | 00:03:07 | |
10 | Nr. 19 d-moll | 00:10:10 | |
CD 3 | |||
1 | Années de pèlerinage, 1e année: Suisse S 160 | ||
2 | Au lac de Wallenstadt | 00:03:09 | |
3 | Pastorale | 00:01:40 | |
4 | Au bord d'une source | 00:03:58 | |
5 | Orage | 00:04:06 | |
6 | Vallée d'Obermann | 00:13:51 | |
7 | Eglogue | 00:03:37 | |
8 | Le mal du pays | 00:05:56 | |
9 | Les cloches de Genève | 00:06:00 | |
CD 4 | |||
1 | Années de pèlerinage, 2e année: Italie S 161 | ||
2 | Il penseroso | 00:04:03 | |
3 | Canzonetta del Salvator Rosa | 00:02:50 | |
4 | Sonetto 47 del Petrarca | 00:05:15 | |
5 | Sonetto 104 del Petrarca | 00:06:17 | |
6 | Sonetto 123 del Petrarca | 00:07:13 | |
7 | Après une lecture du Dante: Fantasia quasi Sonata | 00:16:29 | |
CD 5 | |||
1 | Sonate für Klavier h-moll S 178 | 00:31:36 | |
2 | Soirées de Vienne S 427 (Valse-Caprices nach Franz Schubert) (Auszug) | ||
3 | En rêve S 207 (Nocturne) | 00:01:55 | |
4 | Mephisto Waltzer Nr. 3 S 216 | 00:08:10 | |
5 | Bagatelle sans tonalité S 216a | 00:02:46 | |
6 | Nuages gris (Trübe Wolken) S 199 | 00:02:56 | |
CD 6 | |||
1 | Études d'exécution transcendante S 139 Nr. 1-12 | ||
2 | Nr. 2 (Molto vivace) | 00:02:11 | |
3 | Nr. 3 Paysage | 00:05:47 | |
4 | Nr. 4 Mazeppa | 00:08:05 | |
5 | Nr. 5 Feux-follets | 00:04:03 | |
6 | Nr. 6 Vision | 00:06:23 | |
7 | Nr. 7 Eroica | 00:05:14 | |
8 | Nr. 8 Wilde Jagd | 00:05:35 | |
9 | Nr. 9 Ricordanza | 00:11:39 | |
10 | Nr. 10 (Allegro agitato molto) | 00:05:01 | |
11 | Nr. 11 harmonies du soir | 00:10:11 | |
12 | Nr. Chasse-neige | 00:05:53 | |
CD 7 | |||
1 | Grandes études de Paganini S 141 Nr. 1-6 | ||
2 | Nr. 2 Es-Dur: Andante | 00:05:13 | |
3 | Nr. 3 gis-moll "La campanella": Allegretto | 00:04:30 | |
4 | Nr. 4 E-Dur: Vivo | 00:02:16 | |
5 | Nr. 5 E-Dur "La Chasse": Allegretto | 00:02:56 | |
6 | Nr. 6 a-moll "Thema und Variationen": Quasi presto | 00:05:37 | |
7 | Polonaisen S 223 Nr. 1-2 | ||
8 | Nr. 2 Polonaise E-Dur | 00:08:48 | |
9 | Ballade Nr. 1 Des-Dur S 170 (für Klavier) | 00:07:38 | |
10 | Ballade Nr. 2 h-moll S 171 (für Klavier) | 00:14:20 | |
CD 8 | |||
1 | Consolations S 172 Nr. 1-6 (6 kurze Klavierstücke) (Auszug) | ||
2 | Mephisto Walzer Nr. 1 S 514 | 00:11:30 | |
3 | Isoldes Liebestod (Schlussszene) S 447 | 00:06:56 | |
4 | Variationen über Danse macabre von Saint-Saëns G 555 | 00:09:32 | |
5 | Années de pèlerinage: Venezia e Napoli S 162 (2. Fassung) (Auszug) | ||
6 | Konzertetüden S 145 | ||
7 | Nr. 2 Gnomenreigen | 00:02:44 | |
8 | Liebesträume op. 62 S 541 (Auszug) | ||
9 | Années de pèlerinage, 3e année: Italie S 163 (Auszug) | ||
CD 9 | |||
1 | Präludium und Fuge über B-A-C-H S 529 | 00:10:59 | |
2 | Années de pèlerinage, 1e année: Suisse S 160 (Auszug) | ||
3 | Grosses Konzertsolot S 176 | 00:16:10 | |
4 | Glanes de Woronince S 249 | ||
5 | Années de pèlerinage, 2e année: Italie S 161 (Auszug) | ||
6 | Ungarische Rhapsodien Nr. 1-19 S244 (Auszug) | ||
7 | Trauergondeln (La lugubre gondola) Nr. 1-2 S 200 (Auszug) | ||
CD 10 | |||
1 | Harmonies poétiques et religieuses S 173 Nr. 1-10 (Auszug) | ||
2 | Franziskus-Legenden S 175 Nr. 1-2 (für Klavier) | ||
3 | Nr. 2 St Franziskus de Paule: marchant sur les flots | 00:09:31 | |
4 | Valse-Impromptu S 213 | 00:06:36 | |
5 | Etüden S 144 (Trois Caprices poétiques, 3 Études de concert) (Auszug) | ||
6 | Grand galop chromatique S 219 | 00:04:11 | |
7 | Rhapsodie espagnole S 254 | 00:13:26 | |
CD 11 | |||
1 | O du mein holder Abendstern S 444 | 00:06:49 | |
2 | Ballade aus dem fliegenden Holländer S 441 | 00:05:31 | |
3 | Lohnegrin Transription S 446 | ||
4 | Ouvertüre aus Tannhäuser S 442 | 00:16:14 | |
5 | Feierlicher Marsch zum heiligen Gral aus parsifal S 450 | 00:10:02 | |
6 | Lohnegrin Transription S 446 | ||
7 | Walhall aus Der Ring der Nibelungen S 449 | 00:05:29 | |
8 | Stücke Nr. 1-2 aus Tannhäuser unds Lohnegrin S 445 (Auszug) | ||
9 | Isoldes Liebestod (Schlußszene) S 447 | 00:06:28 | |
CD 12 | |||
1 | Marche funèbre de Dom Sébastien de Donizetti S 402 | 00:08:33 | |
2 | Réminiscenes de Lucrezia Borgia S 400 | ||
3 | Nr. 2 Chanson á boire - Duo - Finale | 00:13:57 | |
4 | Réminiscences de Norma S 394 | 00:17:49 | |
5 | Hexaméron S 392 | 00:20:49 | |
CD 13 | |||
1 | Ernani S 432 (Paraphrase de Concert) (nach Giuseppe Verdi) | 00:08:30 | |
2 | Ernani (Première paraphrase de concert nach Giuseppe Verdi) S 431 (Auszug) | ||
3 | Miserere du Trovatore S 433 (Paraphrase de Concert) (nach Giuseppe Verdi) | 00:08:14 | |
4 | Rigoletto S 434 (Paraphrase de Concert) (nach Giuseppe Verdi) | 00:07:14 | |
5 | Finale aus Don Carlos S 435 | 00:07:28 | |
6 | Agnus Dei aus Verdis Requiem S 437 Nr. 2 | 00:04:55 | |
7 | Reminiscences de Boccanegra S 438 (nach Giuseppe Verdi) | 00:11:26 | |
8 | Aida S 436 (Paraphrase nach Giuseppe Verdi) | 00:11:00 | |
CD 14 | |||
1 | Sinfonie Nr. 6 F-Dur op. 68 "Pastorale" (bearb. für Klavier von Franz Liszt) S 464 | ||
2 | 2. Andante molto moto | 00:18:36 | |
3 | 3. Allegro | 00:06:35 | |
4 | 4. Allegretto | 00:15:29 | |
CD 15 | |||
1 | Konzert für Klavier und Orchester Nr. 1 Es-Dur S 124 | ||
2 | 2. Quasi adagio | 00:04:30 | |
3 | 3. Allegretto vivace | 00:02:22 | |
4 | 4. Allegro animato | 00:01:40 | |
5 | 5. Allegro marziale animato | 00:04:13 | |
6 | Konzert für Klavier und Orchester Nr. 2 A-Dur S 125 | ||
7 | 2. Allegro agitato assai | 00:01:53 | |
8 | 3. Allegro moderato | 00:04:54 | |
9 | 4. Allegro deciso, sempre allegro | 00:02:46 | |
10 | 5. Marziale, un poco meno allegro | 00:03:51 | |
11 | 6. Allegro animato | 00:01:49 | |
12 | Totentanz (Paraphrase über Dies irae) S 126 (für Klavier und Orchester) | 00:14:36 |