Franz Liszt
Pianoconcerto no. 1 in E-flat-major
Pianoconcerto no.2 in A-major
Totentanz (Danse macabre) for piano and orchestra
Krystian
Zimerman, piano
Boston
Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa
1988.
Deutsche Grammophon 423 571-2 GH full
price
There aren't many composers who have left a legacy of pianism; compositionwise or in execution, that can match the one of Hungarian composer Franz (Ferenc) Liszt. He left a formidable bulk of works, consisting of compositions of his own as well as transcripions of works of predecessors and contemporary colleagues. The Beethoven symphonies and several of Schubert's lieder are examples of Liszt's great fascination for the piano as medium for the most diverse musical expressions.
The
composer-musician Franz Liszt was regarded as the greatest of all pianists
of his time, which says quite a bit considering one of his most ardent
admirers was friend, rival and colleague Frédéric Chopin:
a most able pianist himself.
However
it is as composer he has made his distinguished mark in music history.
Franz Liszt is nothing less than one of the most original among composers,
in his highly personal and experimental music. When one is confronted with
the works of Liszt it becomes apparent that this man did not find the excisting
musical conventions sufficiently developed or quite simply inadequate as
frameworks for his compositions. Of the staggering amount of works he produced,
only an extremely maginal number are written in the sonata form; two of
which are presented here. Other composers naturally also have a fair portion
of their opus, written in forms alternative to the sonata, but with Liszt
this form is hardly ever in use, and when it is, it is always challenged.
The second concerto in A-major is somewhat larger, although not much, and "takes the form of a single multi-section movement", as it is stated in the brief and informative CD-booklet. This, as the great B-minor sonata, is an examle of the internal fragmentation of a one movement unity. Krystian Zimerman follows the constant changes in mood, tempo and temperament, with brilliance, subdued gloom, or raging virtuosity. His approach is as extraverted and raw as Leif Ove Andsnes' (Virgin) is introverted and subdued. Zimerman's is undoubtedly the finest version, although Andsnes gives us a very personal and finely tuned performance. Richter is an other contender with his higly acclaimed recordings with The London Symphony Orchestra and Kirill Kondrashin (Philips), but in my opinion Zimerman's version stands unrivalled even from the Russian titan.
The last work on the disc is a version for piano and orchestra of the Totentanz. This work consists of six variations on the theme "Dies Irae", and harbours the most extreme of expressions. Krystian Zimerman's reading and execution of the Danse Macabre is as spinechilling as it is unique. The darkness, the brutality contrasted with the most delicate raffinement, the gloom, the playful mockery, the triumphance, are all elements vowen together brilliantly by a pianist who has few rivals beside Martha Argerich in this repertoire. This is quite simply stunning pianism. In Naxos' ambitious Liszt series (Vol. 1), Brazilian pianist Arnaldo Cohen offers a very interesting and laudable account of the Totentanz version for solo piano. But if you are searching for the ONE Liszt-concerto disc to have, look no further.
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