Richard Wagner Piano Transcription

Editorial Reviews
Ricard de La Rosa, Producer - June 1999
"Another stunning release by THE pianist"

Album Description
Chitose Okashiro, Piano Richard Wagner Piano Transcriptions

Richard Wagner (1813-1883): Piano Transcriptions
"Tristan und Isolde"
Wagner-Kocsis: Einleitung
Wagner-Moszkowski: Isoldens Tod

"Der Ring des Nibelungen"
Wagner-Brassin: Der Ritt der Walküren, Feuerzauber, Sigmunds Liebesgesang

"Tannhäuser"
Wagner-Moszkowski: Der Venusberg

Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924), André Messager (1853-1929): Souvenir of Bayreuth Fantasy on themes from "Der Ring des Nibelungen" by Richard Wagner for 4 hands *Chitose Okashiro & J. Y. Song

Tracks:

Air on the G Str
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Lasia Ch'Io Pianga
Ave Maria
Water Music: Air
Water Music: Minuet
Water Music: Trio
Water Music: Hornpipe
Water Music: Alla Danza
Water Music: Coro
Aria
The Lord's Prayer
Arioso
Sheep May Safely Graze
Ave Maria
Canon in D
Bridal Chorus
Trumpet Voluntary
Trumpet Tune and Air
Wedding March

Customer Reviews:

Tasteful and elegant........2004-09-27

I am a DJ and ordered this CD when a couple asked me to play music for the wedding ceremony as well. Since it was an intimate setting, I thought a simple piano arrangement of the traditional "Bridal Chorus" and "Wedding March" would work better than full orchestra versions. This CD worked beautifully.

The Most Beautiful Piano CD You Can Buy!.......2004-01-29

After searching all over Palm Beach County for a suitable CD for my daughter's wedding I came upon this one and really did not hold out much hope, but ordered it strictly because of the reviews. It is beautiful for the person who is looking for a more pure piano sound, free of all the other "stuff". Very well done, something for everyone. Worth the price and then some.

The best wedding album!.......2003-11-16

My husband and I used this CD when our church pianist moved a week before our wedding. It was beautiful, and we got many compliments on it. It's much more reliable than live music, and just as nice. I would highly recommend it.

I Have Several Originals of this CD.......2002-11-14

I am a professional dj owner and heard his music. I assist 100+ brides on their music choices and this CD is absolutely the best for a bride that needs piano solo music for the guests entering the ceremony (prelude) through the ceremony ending. It is a must have. Also in combination with this CD, is his piano versions of love songs "HONEYMOON SUITE" (My Heart Will Go On - Is The First Track). It is classic, clean and used over & over.

Beautiful music for a beautiful wedding!.......2002-02-25

When my husband and I were planning our wedding, we wanted beautiful piano music, so we bought "The Ultimate Wedding Collection." It really made the wedding even more romantic, and now I listen to the CD at work and at home. On our anniversary, we often play the CD while we enjoy a quiet candlelight dinner at home. Now my father-in-law is getting remarried, and they are going to use the same CD! It's great for all brides, young and not-so-young.

Average customer rating:

Enjoy it very much

Music to Die For

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Customer Reviews:

Enjoy it very much.......2007-03-27

I really enjoy classical music. I heard one of the pieces on the radio and had to have it.

Jean-Yves Thibaudet ~ Liszt - Opera Transcriptions ~ Wagner · Mozart · Donizetti · Verdi · Gounod · Tchaikovsky

Average customer rating:

Superb playing
Thibaudet triumphs on this disc

Jean-Yves Thibaudet ~ Liszt - Opera Transcriptions ~ Wagner · Mozart · Donizetti · Verdi · Gounod · Tchaikovsky
Franz Liszt , Gaetano Donizetti , Charles Gounod , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giuseppe Verdi Richard Wagner , Ferruccio Busoni , and Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 1994-01-18

Tracks:

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Valse de concert sur deux motifs de Lucia et Parisina (Donizetti)
Valse de l'opera Faust (Gounod)
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Spinning Chorus From Der fliegende Hollander (Wagner)
Recitative And Romance From Tannhauser (Wagner)
Lohengrins Verweis An Elsa From Lohengrin (Wagner)
Schluss-Szene aus Tristan und Isolde - Isoldens Liebestod (Wagner)
Fantasie uber 2 Motive aus W.A. Mozarts Die Hochzeit des Figaro (erganzt von Ferruccio Busoni)

Customer Reviews:

Superb playing.......2006-12-27

This CD consists entirely of truly outstanding playing. In fact, these recordings are so good that even Horowitz himself (who rarely said positive things about other pianists) expressed admiration for them and for the power and technique which Thidaudet demonstrates. In fact, it is not just power and technique but also lyricism and a beautiful touch which Thibaudet brings to these pieces. Every note and phrase has been assiduously judged and weighted and these really are artistic performances, full of life with never a dull moment.

The pieces are all arrangements by Liszt of popular tunes from famous operas. Liszt wrote many such pieces and, of course it's a matter of opinion, but for my money Thibaudet has selected most of the best ones for this CD. Perhaps the least exciting one is the well-known Rigoletto paraphrase, a piece which has been done to death by so many pianists. I don't know if this is what takes the edge off it, perhaps it even took the edge off it for Thibaudet and so although his performance of this is very good, it is not inspirational like the other pieces.

The Spinning Chorus paraphrase is played superbly and with a great deal of charm and grace. Similarly, the Concert Waltz based on tunes from 2 operas by Donizetti is played with power and charm - brilliant octave and chordal playing throughout and in the exciting finale. The Polonaise from Eugene Onegin is also excellent - you'll be humming the tune to yourself for ages afterwards and listen out for the glittering passage work in the middle of this piece, Thibaudet makes the piano sparkle and sing.

The biggest feat of technique is in the notoriously difficult Figaro paraphrase. Here the music makes many demands of the pianist right from the word go yet when you hear Thibaudet playing it, it's hard to guess at how difficult the piece is so graceful and easy is his playing. There are a couple of minor clinkers towards the end in a fiendish passage but frankly that's neither here nor there. Particularly impressive (for the pianists among you) is his playing of the rapid contrary motion scales in thirds in both hands - such speed and accuracy and he even manages to inject some wit into it. A phenomenal performance.

The Faust waltz is great too. Listen out for the fun glissandos in the recapitulation of the second theme towards the end.

Finally, a word about the Liebestod from Tristan & Isolde. A very performance but the definitive performance of this is by Horowitz in his CD "The Last Recording".

A great CD, destined to become a classic recording. Thibaudet should be proud of this superb piece of work. If only other pianists took the same care to make their playing as polished and musical and imaginative.

Thibaudet triumphs on this disc.......2000-05-14

I fell in love with this CD upon my first hearing of it. First of all the transcriptions by Liszt are excellent. Secondly, the way Thibaudet plays them is just mind boggling. His pianissimos are incredibly controlled and moving, while his fortes are spectacularly powerful, bold, and commanding. The London recording catches all this detail with brilliant clarity. One example on this disc is the transcription of the Liebestod. You know it should be wonderful, but in the hands of this gifted pianist, the piano soars and aches the feelings of Isolde. It's like Lizst and Thibaudet bring out the whole of the orchestration on the piano. In the climax, I was amazed to hear the loud rumblings of the lower end of the keyboard while the soaring melody on the other end of the keyboard lifted me away. The transcription of Mozart is wonderful. It makes one wish that Mozart had lived and composed on into the Romantic Period. There are some wonderful transcriptions of Donizetti and Verdi as well. In the end, what I can say is this: Thibaudet has become a wonderful interpreter of Liszt. On this disc Thibaudet shows us the wonderful ability of Liszt and his own wonderful pianist abilities.

Average customer rating:

Great Reference CD!
Interesting musical selections, but ...
A Nice Wedding Compilation

Bride's Guide to Wedding Music, Vol. II

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Classical Wedding Traditions

ASIN: B00000631X
Release Date: 1998-05-05

Tracks:

Messiah: Pastoral Symphony
Love's Ole Sweet Song
In dulci jobilo
A Dream
The Prince Of Denmark's March: Trumpet Voluntary
Wedding March From Lohengrin: Bridal Chorus
Variations on a Theme by Haydn: St. Anthony's Chorale
Cantata No.140: Sleepers, Awake!
Guitar Concerto in D: Largo
Cantata No. 99: What God Hath Done, Is Rightly Done
Tempo di Minuetto
Cantata No. 85: See What His Love Can Do
Orchestral Suite No.3 In D: Air On The G String
Ave verum corpus
Serse: Largo
Suite No.3: Siciliana
Water Music - Suite No.2: Andante - Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In A-Flat: Allegro
Premiere Suite: Rondeau
Cantata No.129: Praise Be To God
Water Music - Suite No.2: Alla hornpipe

Customer Reviews:

Great Reference CD!.......2006-01-09

This is a great compilation, CD, along with Bride's Guide to Wedding Music Volume I, to use as a reference for some of the more popular wedding songs, such as Trumpet Voluntary, Vivaldi's Spring from the Four Seasons, Trumpet Tune and Canon, i.e. Pachelbel's Canon. All of the musicians are generally superb, and the sound quality is very good. However, this is most useful if you are playing the CD at your wedding, or using it as a reference CD to talk over with an organist, a string quartet, etc. I only gave it four stars based on practicality, not on quality. If it were just quality, I would give it five stars. I purchased this CD since I am in the process of making my own wedding CD (I am a professional, freelance violinist), and this was nice to listen to, even just as background music for dinner.

Interesting musical selections, but ..........2005-01-06

As the other reviewer noted, one doesn't have to be getting married to enjoy this CD...and the musical selections are certainly interesting, even eclectic. I have to wonder, however, who picked these out with what criteria since at least a couple of these melodies are not traditional wedding tunes. By this I mean the lovely arrangement of Michael Praetorius' "In Dulci Jubilo." In his home country of Germany, where I used to live until a couple of years ago, this is a Christmas carol, sung at Christmas Eve services throughout the land. The lyrics aren't especially suited to any sort of wedding, really. Unless you're marrying in December, I personally would steer clear of this song. And if the wedding's in June and you have European guests, don't be surprised if eyebrows are raised when this melody is played!

A Nice Wedding Compilation.......2001-07-24

This album provides you with some good reference materials on planning the music for your wedding. Many of us may sit around wondering what on earth "Tempo di Mineutto" is. Well, with this album you will wonder no more. This is a pretty good compilation of some wedding favorites set in order that they would appear in your ceremony (prelude, processional, ceremony and recessional). Even if you aren't planning a wedding, this album provides you with some really good classical music to relax by. At a good discount, this CD is a nice addition to any collection. I would recommend this disc.

Average customer rating:

Moonlight Sonata

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Barcarolle from the Tales of Hoffman
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Intermezzeo from Jewels of the Madonna
Nocturne Op. 15, No. 2
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"Song of the Evening Star" from Tannher
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Nocturne from a Midsummer Night's Dream
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Finale Fron Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

Average customer rating:

The Finest Recording of Wagner Piano Transcriptions
Welcome to a new piano's promise!

Richard Wagner Piano Transcription
Wagner , and Okashiro
Manufacturer: Pro-Piano Records
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Binding: Audio CD

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Operatic Piano

ASIN: B00000IAEX
Release Date: 1999-03-23

Tracks:

Tristan Und Isolde: Einleitung
Tristan Und Isolde: Isoldens Tod
Der Ring Des Nibelungen: Der Ritt Der Walkuren
Der Ring Des Nibelungen: Feuerzauber
Der Ring Des Nibelungen: Sigmunds Liebesgesang
Tannhauser: Der Venusberg
Souvenir Of Bayreuth: Fant On Themes From 'Der Ring Des Nibelungen'

Album Description

Chitose Okashiro, Piano Richard Wagner Piano Transcriptions

Richard Wagner (1813-1883): Piano Transcriptions
"Tristan und Isolde"
Wagner-Kocsis: Einleitung
Wagner-Moszkowski: Isoldens Tod

"Der Ring des Nibelungen"
Wagner-Brassin: Der Ritt der Walküren, Feuerzauber, Sigmunds Liebesgesang

"Tannhäuser"
Wagner-Moszkowski: Der Venusberg

Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924), André Messager (1853-1929): Souvenir of Bayreuth Fantasy on themes from "Der Ring des Nibelungen" by Richard Wagner for 4 hands *Chitose Okashiro & J. Y. Song

Customer Reviews:

The Finest Recording of Wagner Piano Transcriptions.......2007-06-04

Chitose Okashiro is an incredibly talented musician, whose discography will show that not only is her pianism of the highest caliber, but unlike some of the hot-shot pianist stars of today, her tastes in music go beyond Chopin's Etudes and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. Her super-human, super-passionate, super-emotional performance of Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony (trans. Niemann) is one of the greatest piano releases I've heard. Her complex engineering feat in the recording of Mahler's 1st and her superb Scriabin proves the depths of her musicianship.

There are many recordings with selections of Wagner transcriptions. Cziffra and Moiseiwitsch are renowned for their Wagner-Liszt Tannhauser overture. And a long list of pianists from Paderewski to Horowitz gave us wonderful Wagner-Liszt Liebestod's. But there haven't been too many actual recordings that focus exclusively on Wagner Piano Transcriptions; David Allen Wehr, Leslie Howard and Idil Biret are the most notable exceptions. While pianists invariably turn to Franz Liszt's transcendental transcriptions, there are others like Louis Brassin, Moritz Moszkowski, Carl Tausig, and Hans von Bulow who transcribed some of Wagner's most beloved moments of music. Thankfully, Okashiro gives us a taste of some of these meticulously crafted and sonorous arrangements from lesser-known transcribers.

Zoltan Kocsis's transcription of Wagner's "Prelude" to Tristan und Isolde is as equally sublime as any orchestral version I've heard, and surprisingly more intimate because of the piano's dynamics. Wagner's complicated motifs, his dramatic rises and falls, and the important conveyance of the "drinking motif" are all illuminated in this stupendous performance. Although I infinitely prefer Liszt's transcription of the "Liebestod" (especially for the hair-raising climax), Moszkowski, but perhaps moreover, Okashiro, creates a convincing atmosphere of tragedy, beauty, and transfiguration. Moszkowski might not meet the level of Liszt's transcription, but he makes up for it with the splendid "Venusberg" music from Tannhauser. As much as I could praise the nuances and expressive powers of this transcription, I think the liner-notes say it best: "[this arrangement] paints the voluptuous sensual realm where the goddess of love held court in the Thurgingian mountains. The keyboard vibrates with endless layers of sound-from initial rumblings in the bass, to passages which sparkle magically in the stratosphere."

The liner-notes also have some fascinating information about Louis Brassin, who apparently was a pupil of Moscheles and later "established a piano school at the St. Petersburg Conservatory." His three transcriptions featured here make up a nice bulk of the CD. I feel Brassin translates Wagner's "Rise of the Valkyries" to piano as best as possible. Tausig also did a transcription but an octave lower, and at times it sounds disjointed and thinly scored. Brassin, however, sustains continuity of line and evokes orchestral effects in his arrangement. Okashiro's tempo and lightning virtuosity doubtless helps, too. Regarding "Feuerzaber" and "Sigmunds Liebesgesang," I was pleasantly surprised with both. "Feuerzaber" is truly a breathtaking pianistic reworking of the already mesmerizing Magic Fire music.

As for Faure's Souvenir of Bayreuth or "Fantasy on themes from 'The Ring,' I knew what to expect. I've heard this quasi opera buffa take on Wagner's music before, but the four-hand performance by Okashiro and Song is surely the most memorable execution. Still, it's hard to go from the serious dramatic content of the previous transcriptions to a frivolous salon "quadrille," which ends up mocking the nature of Wagner's music. I'm no Wagnerite, but I just didn't see a point to it. Faure's "Souvenir" is brief (5 minutes) but when it ends I always say to myself, "that's it?" I give it kudos for originality, at least, but I would have infinitely preferred that Okashiro put her skills to some other rarer Wagner transcription.

Bottom line: When addressing any volume of Wagner Piano Transcriptions, this recording should be instantly acknowledged as the standard. Although I highly favor Leslie Howard's musicality in his Wagner-Liszt transcriptions and can surely find worthy examples from others, this daring and high-quality recording takes the throne. Okashiro is a tremendous artist and these transcriptions should be heard.

Welcome to a new piano's promise!.......2006-11-22

These transcriptions possess the noble majestic that demands these superb works. She plays with absolute and impeccable refinement and absolute domain of the thematic material.

Memorable performances. Do not miss this one!

Average customer rating:

Which Hofmann?
Not to be missed
Good for collectors, but not for samplers
Dynamo of the Piano
An interesting listening study

Josef Hofmann

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ASIN: B00001X5AD
Release Date: 1999-10-26

Tracks:

D. 733: Marche militaire No. 1 In D
Erlkong
Lieder ohne Worte, Op. 19: 'Hunting Song'
Lieder ohne Worte, Op. 62: 'Spring Song'
Polonaise in A, Op. 40 No. 1 'Military'
Valse - Caprice In E flat
Fantasiestucke, Op. 12 No. 3: Warum?
Liebestraum No. 3 In A flat
Etude No. 3 In C Minor, Op. 120
The Sanctuary
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Lieder ohne Worte, Op. 67: The Bee's Wedding
Capriccio espagnole, Op. 37 (Abridged)
Minuet celebre In G, Op. 14 No. 1
'Annees de pelerinage': Tarantella
Waltz In E Minor, Op. Posth.
Waltz In A Flat, Op. 34 No. 1 'Valse brillante'
Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 14 (Abridged)
La jongleuse, Op. 52 No. 4

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Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 In C Sharp Minor
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Polonaise No. 3 In A Op. 40 No. 1 'Military'
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Waltz In C Sharp Minor, Op. 64 No. 2
Nocturne In F Sharp, Op. 15 No. 2
Prelude In C Sharp Minor, Op. 3 No. 2
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Die Walkure: Magic Fire Music
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Amazon.com

Before he became the brilliant and charismatic virtuoso to whom Rachmaninov dedicated his Third Piano Concerto, Joseph Hofmann was a child prodigy. He was also the first pianist ever to make a record: in 1888, at age 12, he sat on Thomas Edison's lap and played into a prototype of the cylinder machine. That was a year after his New York debut at the old Metropolitan Opera house had caused general amazement among the public and the critics, but had also brought the wrath of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children upon the heads of his promoters. A wealthy New Yorker put up $50,000 (the equivalent of at least half a million today) to see that young Hofmann was educated rather than exploited; he was sent off to study with Anton Rubinstein in Dresden, and made his adult debut in the U.S. at the acceptable age of 22. By then, he was a finished pianist, capable of producing cascades of notes with his small hands (Steinway built a grand with slightly narrower keys just for him) as well as extraordinary effects of color and delicacy. His virtuosity was all the more hair-raising for its elegance and seeming effortlessness.

One gets a good idea of all that from this sampler of Romantic miniatures and encore pieces recorded between 1903 and 1923 (mainly 1916-23), in rather primitive but nonetheless revealing sound. Hofmann's unerring sense of line and pace are much in evidence, but so are his pronounced rubato and, in certain selections (like Rubinstein's Valse-caprice in E flat), more than a few slips and wrong notes--the price one paid for being engaged with the music and taking chances. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Which Hofmann?.......2004-09-06

Hofmann - particularly late Hofmann - may be an acquired taste.
Despite having been the protégé of Anton Rubinstein, "the wonderful boy" was recognized from quite an early age as the exemplar of a modern style of playing - textually faithful, eschewing swooning or bombast. (See, for example, the references to Hofmann in Henry Lahee's wonderful survey from 1900, Famous Pianists of Today and Yesterday.)
Still, a number of younger colleagues expressed ambivalence. Horowitz was floored by Hofmann's keyboard command - everyone was - but he, Artur Rubinstein and Arrau, to name just three - seem not to have been terribly moved by Hofmann's musicianship.
But which Hofmann are we considering? His playing for the gramophone - as early as 1903 and as late as 1935 - was as disciplined as it was imaginative and dazzling. The late Harold Schonberg called it "perfection plus."
However, as Gregor Benko makes clear in his essays for the Marston reissues, Hofmann switched on what the pianist called a "spectacular" style for many public performances. This may sound cynical. Often it sounds terribly cynical. Hofmann was not speaking merely of the need to project in a large concert hall. In public performance - at least those performances we have from the late `30s and early `40s - the aristocrat often becomes a mountebank, lurching from the softest pianissimos to explosive fortissimos, rattling off passages or entire pieces even faster than Simon Barere boasted he could do.
Schonberg - and Hofmann's friend and admirer Rachmaninoff - reminded us that during this period Hofmann had many personal troubles, including a severe drinking problem. We must believe that at his greatest Hofmann played as scrupulously and with as much refined feeling in public as he did on many of his studio recordings, though his manner may have differed somewhat. And there are some marvelous live performances. The Rubinstein 4th from his Golden Jubilee concert beggars description.
So where does that leave us? As an introduction to Hofmann, I would recommend the early Columbia recordings, those he made somewhat later for Brunswick, and the American and British test pressings from 1935 - perhaps his greatest recorded playing. These are Volumes 3, 4 and 5 of the complete Hofmann series.
This Philips compilation draws from the earlier commercial recordings. It's a fine, economical introduction, but I would go for the Marstons. They are complete, the transfers are better, the notes superb, and the company is well worth supporting. Serious listeners will also want the ups and downs of the Golden Jubilee (Volume 2). The Chopin concertos in Volume 1 have some splendid moments, but the superlative (not spectacular; superlative) performance there is a fragment of the first movement of the E minor concerto performed in London -- far more poised and committed than its counterpart from New York. (I wonder if Hofmann played differently in America than he did in Europe? Some musicians - for instance, Mahler, Toscanini, Bernstein - for varying reasons apparently did.)
Having said all this, the entire Hofmann series is priceless. Heartfelt thanks to Gregor Benko and Ward Marston for making it available.

Not to be missed.......2003-11-03

You'll never hear playing so clean, polished, and technically perfect...modern pianists seem almost clumsy by comparison. Especially his Liszt is to die for; as a matter of fact his Tarantella is possibly my all-time favorite recording of anything. The Maiden's Wish and La Jongleuse are splendid too. In fact, although these are some of my favorite recordings ever, it's hard to know what to say about them because they are simply so perfect in both technic and understanding that they leave you breathless.

As for the bad sound...folks get over it...as for me, I know I'm silly but I kind of like it...it gives me a thrill as I remember just how many years this recording is taking me back over.

Good for collectors, but not for samplers.......2002-09-23

For an introduction to Hofamann, this volume is not the best. They contain mostly his earliest recordings (1910 to 1920) and they make for difficult listening. VAI and Marston Records' volumes of remasterings of Hofmann's later playing has better audio and better linear notes.

Dynamo of the Piano.......2001-12-25

First of all, I would part company with those who comment on the "recording quality" of a particular record. Naturally the sound technology was not advanced in those days, so the artist had to make do. Any listener who knows something about the piano should be able to get beyond this.

This CD should be bought by any listener interested in the golden age of piano giants. Rachmaninoff, whose name should be familiar as both composer and pianist to any piano afficoniado, actually preferred Hofmann's playing, especially in passages requiring clear fingerwork, to his own. Indeed, the clarity and lightness of Hofmann's fingerwork is astounding. Of particular note on this album is Chopin's Berceuse, arguably the greatest recording ever made of this particular piece. I will limit myself to describing his performance of this piece, since I think this is most indicative of the beauty of Hofmann's piano sound. The thirds are lighter and better articulated than Friedman's or Cortot's performances of the same piece. His tempos in general are held, with the addition of cleverly placed rubato. Hofmann's style for passagework can be called the "jeu perle" style, representing a touch in between legato and staccato which gives the passage a certain precise, smooth sound. His pedalling also is immaculate. Actually, he does not use very much pedal at all. He only uses it at junctures when it is absolutely needed, not to cover up poor technique and creating a sloppy "wet" sound which seems to be the dilemma of many modern pianists. In his several different recordings of the piece, the only place I consistently hear him using pedal is in the grace note/rolled chord variation of the theme, where the right hand's sound and harmony dictate it.

In short, buy this CD to get a glimmer of old school piano playing at its finest.

An interesting listening study.......2000-11-06

I would actually give this CD a 3.5, but you can't give out halfs. While his playing and his songs are phenomenal, the quality of the CDs is terrible. One would think that Sony would have taken the time to clean these CDs. While I admit it would be difficult since the songs were recorded between 1903-33, they could have cleaned it up. Hofmann's playing is absolutely amazing. Speaking from a pianist's p.o.v, how can he move his fingers that quickly? This is a CD for the music lover and classical collector....

Great Pianists of the 20th Century - Earl Wild ~ The Art of the Transcription

Average customer rating:

Entertaining
Riveting
A true romantic.
Redemption of the Transcription

Great Pianists of the 20th Century - Earl Wild ~ The Art of the Transcription
Christoph Willibald Gluck , Jean-Philippe Rameau , Johann Sebastian Bach , Richard Wagner , Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov , Fritz Kreisler , Felix Mendelssohn , Gioachino Rossini , Fryderyk Chopin , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Adolf Schulz-Evler , Mily Balakirev , Henri Herz , Sigismond Thalberg , Leopold Godowsky , and Earl Wild
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Andre Previn: Great Pianists Of The 20th Century (Music Of Mozart, Poulenc, Shostakovich, Gershwin)
Mitsuko Uchida
Daniel Barenboim
Jorge Bolet 1

ASIN: B00000IIYU
Release Date: 1999-04-13

Tracks:

Melodie d'Orphee
Rigaudon
Elegie
Tambourin
Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565
Isoldens Tod
The Flight Of The Bumble-Bee
Liebesleid
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Scherzo
Grande Fantaisie On 'Semiramide'
Chants polonais: My Joys
Chants polonais: Spring
Chants polonais: The Maiden's Wish
Swan Lake: Pas de quatre

Tracks:

Arabesques On 'An der sch, blauen Donau'
Fantasy On 'A Life For The Tsar'
La Cenerentola: Variations On 'Non pita'
Fantasy On 'Don Pasquale', Op.67
Symphonic Metamorphosis On 'Krleben'
7 Virtuoso Etudes: 7 The Man I Love
7 Virtuoso Etudes: 1 I Got Rhythm
7 Virtuoso Etudes: 4 Embraceable You
7 Virtuoso Etudes: 6 Fascinatin' Rhythm
7 Virtuoso Etudes: 5 Somebody Loves Me
7 Virtuoso Etudes: 3 Liza
7 Virtuoso Etudes: 2 Oh, Lady Be Good

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining.......2007-01-23

A very interesting pianist, this. He's an entertainer as well as a serious musician and he plays entertaining pieces. He is also a first class composer of transcriptions. Some of his charming Gershwin transcriptions (for which he is rightly famous) are included on this CD.

Earl Wild has an interesting pedigree in pianistic terms, having studied (if only briefly) with one of Liszt's many pupils. Technically he is often excellent, but some pieces seem to fall more easily under his fingers than others. For example, on another CD he makes rather a meal of Liszt's Grande Galope Chromatique but on this CD he plays superbly the fiendishly difficult Rachmaninoff arrangement of Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream Scherzo - a piece which never lets up in its demand for a deft touch, accuracy and speed. Whatismore, the Scherzo is recorded live, so no editing and barely a single wrong note or misplaced phrase. Bear in mind that Rachmaninoff himself is reputed to have had three takes at it before ending up with a recording he was satisfied with! Overall I don't think Wild has the same order of technical ability as Horowitz, Rachmaninoff, Rubinstein, Barere or Cziffra but he does demonstrate the vital ability to make certain pieces sound "right" in his hands. This certainly doesn't manifest itself in everything he plays, but more in the pieces where he seems to feel at home.

He has obviously put a lot of thought and work into some of these recordings and I would single out the Schubert-Tausig March, Rigaudon, the Midsummer Night's Dream Scherzo, his Gershwin and Tschaikovsky transcriptions and the Blue Danube arabesques as particularly charming and well-performed. I doubt anyone could play his beautiful Embraceable You transcription as well as him. The 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody is also good - solidly played and with plenty of gypsy spirit, and he doesn't pull the piece about all over the place like most pianists do. And the Bumblebee isn't bad either. Also excellent is Gluck's Melodie d'Orphee. He plays this beautifully with exquisitely judged balance and tone. It's a shame some of the other pieces aren't quite as good - Isolde's Liebestod is off target, unfortunately.

I think Earl Wild was one of the great transcribers and it's a shame he didn't write a lot more transcriptions because each one is a beautiful addition to the piano literature. His short and sweet transcription of the Pas de Quatre from Swan Lake (which he plays on this CD) is a total masterpiece. He also dared to play entertaining pieces and to indulge in showmanship, and why not? Why should a concert be a dry lecture? Yes, he is one of the great pianists but not because he had a unique sound or technique - more because he was a great and daring performer and because he made a contribution to piano literature for which the world ought to be grateful.

Riveting.......2000-07-03

This is an incredible CD, marred only by audience coughing and the unnecessary, deafening applause at the end of most cuts, reminiscent of a sitcom laugh track (hence the 4 star rating instead of 5); otherwise, it would have been perfect. The excellent selection of music and Wild's virtuoso playing are both marvelous. I was particularly taken with the Bach fuge and the splendid Gershwin transcriptions. Don't miss this one!

A true romantic........2000-06-21

If you've never heard Earl Wild before, this is a good starting point for you. His technique is impeccable and his mastery of tone allows him to play the most intricate music in the clearest manner. I must admit this disc didn't grab my attention from the very beginning. I found many of these recordings to be an inconsequential jingle-jangle of notes with no true meaning. I still feel that way about the two Thalberg pieces. He may have been Liszt's worthy pianistic rival, but as a composer he comes nowhere close to the great Abbée. Here these pieces get as good a performance as they are likely to get. Also I think Moszkowski's arrangement of the D minor Prelude and Fugue is greatly inferior to Busoni's. I don't care for the way it's played here either. It's too rushed for my taste and it sounds too homophonic, I don't hear the counterpoint of the fugue. This, I believe, is the fault of the arranger and performer alike. The rest of the recordings are excellent. Schulz-Evler's Arabesques are brilliantly played although my favourite recording will always be Jorge Bolet's. Godowsky's transcriptions are so complex and crowded with melodic lines and sonorities that it will leave you gasping for breath. Their performance demands technical powers of the highest caliber. Without that the music will drown in notes. Earl Wild posesses precicely this technique, and in his hands these pieces sound spectacular. Henri Herz's variations may lack profundity but are charming nonetheless. The gems on this disc are Wild's "Virtuoso Etudes" after Gershwin. "Concert Etudes" would have been an even more appropriate title, for despite all the virtuosity, harmonic and melodic invention is the true protagonist. The mood ranges from witty to atmospheric and together with Wild's technique and beautiful tone these pieces create a wonderful unioun. Last but definently not least, I would like to mention the Glinka-Balakirev Fantasy. Here the art of transcription is at its peak and as before, Wild is in full command. Here especially is where his musical gifts shines the brightest. He has it all, perfect legato playing, beautiful singing tone and crystal clear pedaling. A flawless performance. Earl Wild is without doubt a member of the pianistic elite, an old school romantic. I for one think he would have deserved a second unit in the "Great Pianists" series.

Redemption of the Transcription.......2000-02-24

Be prepared: the first piece on this album weaves such a magical spell that you may be startled out of your chair by the applause at the end. The bulk of this collection is from a concert performance, and it was a humdinger. Wild not only displays his astonishing virtuosity, but demonstrates that many of these arrangements and transcriptions are valuable pieces of music in their own right. The Rameau becomes 20th-century neoclassicism through Godowsky and Wild. The Arabesques on the Blue Danube Waltzes becomes a more serious piece than the original ever was. And so on: the bottom line is it's an experience that you don't want to miss. The real gems of this collection, however, are not from the live recital: what I find myself going back to again and again are the Gershwin transcriptions by Wild himself. Breath-taking virtuosity, fascinating arrangements, a beautiful recorded sound, and some great tunes!

Average customer rating:

Rare Piano Encores

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Classical | Imports | Stores | Music

$9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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ASIN: B00008JL6H
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Average customer rating:

Liszt: Bach & Wagner Transcriptions

Manufacturer: Analekta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000079B7B
Release Date: 2007-04-06

Tracks:

Prelude Et Fugue En La Mineur Pour Orgue De J.S. Bach (Bwv 543) / Prelude And F
Variations Sur Le Theme De J.S.Bach, < > . . ./ Variations On J.S
Isoldens Liebestod, De Tristan Und Isolde De R. Wagner / ''Isoldens Liebestod''
Etoile Du Soir, Recitatif Et Romance De Tannhauser De R. Wagner / ''Evening Star
Ouverture De Tannhauser De R. Wagner/ Overture To Tannhauser By R. Wagner

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Font L'Enfer

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