Franz Liszt: Complete Hungarian Rhapsodies

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Whatever happened to these highly enjoyable works? They seem to have dropped off the face of the pianistic earth. Everyone in the universe knows the Second Hungarian Rhapsody, if only from the famous Bugs Bunny cartoon (remember, the one with the mouse in the piano?), and several of these pieces exist in orchestral versions as well. But very few pianists seem to be playing them anymore, and recordings are even more rare. It's a pity, because they remain among the most entertaining and successful pieces that Liszt wrote. This complete set is easily the finest available, and its reissue at two discs for the price of one makes it even more desirable. --David Hurwitz

Franz Liszt: Complete Hungarian Rhapsodies, Music, Franz Liszt, Michele Campanella, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Keyboard, Rhapsody for Keyboard

Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies (Complete)
Average customer rating:
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies (Complete)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Piano Sonatas

Schubert: Symphonies (Complete) [Box Set]

Fauré: Piano Music complete [Box Set]

Boccherini: Cello Concertos

ASIN: B000B7VZTC
Release Date: 2006-04-04

Franz Liszt: Complete Hungarian Rhapsodies
Average customer rating:

Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies

Academic

I like it

Michele is a MAN!

Excellent

Franz Liszt: Complete Hungarian Rhapsodies

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Liszt | Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Liszt: The Complete Etudes

Liszt: The Two Piano Concertos; The Piano Sonata

Complete Hungarian Rhapsodies for Solo Piano

Mozart: The Great Serenades

Liszt: Favourite Piano Works

ASIN: B00000416M
Release Date: 1993-10-12

Tracks:

No. 1 In C Sharp Minor
No. 2 In C Sharp Minor
No. 3 In B Flat
No. 4 In E Flat
No. 5 In E Minor (Heroide Elegiaque)
No. 6 In D Flat
No. 7 In D Minor
No. 8 In F Sharp Minor
No. 9 In E Flat (Pester Karneval)

Tracks:

No. 10 In E - Preludio
No. 11 In A Minor
No. 12 In C Sharp Minor
No. 13 In A Minor
No. 14 In F Minor
No. 15 In A Minor - Rakoczy March
No. 16 In A Minor
No. 17 In D Minor
No. 18 In F Sharp Minor
No. 19 In D Minor

Amazon.com

Whatever happened to these highly enjoyable works? They seem to have dropped off the face of the pianistic earth. Everyone in the universe knows the Second Hungarian Rhapsody, if only from the famous Bugs Bunny cartoon (remember, the one with the mouse in the piano?), and several of these pieces exist in orchestral versions as well. But very few pianists seem to be playing them anymore, and recordings are even more rare. It's a pity, because they remain among the most entertaining and successful pieces that Liszt wrote. This complete set is easily the finest available, and its reissue at two discs for the price of one makes it even more desirable. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies.......2006-02-25

This recording is great. The pianist does a wonderful job capturing the feeling and movement of the pieces.

Academic.......2005-07-25

While it may be true that the age of pianistic romanticism died with Horowitz, it is hard to find a good reason to call the kind of playing on this album anything but academic.

To be sure, there are admirable qualities in this album, the courage to tackle all 19 Rhapsodies being one of them. Another is the pervasive cleanliness of execution. Unfortunately, the second item goes hand in hand with Mr. Campanella's absolute refusal to infuse his performance with any kind of individuality or expressiveness. Listening to any track on the CD, oen gets the sense that the pianist had a claustrophobic relationship with the score, following each and every direction to the letter, as if he measured each bar with a timestick and was sure to start and end each crescendo to correspond exactly with where the ink fell on the page. The only directions, it seems, that were NOT followed, were ones that called for some individuality: Fermatas, "capriccioso," "cadenza," "a tempo ad libitum," and "rinforzando," to name a few.

Indeed, this kind of playing makes this particular album an excellent reference work. All the Rhapsodies are here, and those pianists who can play by ear need not even pick up a written score - you can simply go by what you hear on this recording. However, it is full of pedantic playing and is thoroughly unexciting. These kinds of pieces, indeed all of Romantic music, call for certain invisible ingredients that are NOT written on the page (unfortunately for Mr. Campanella), such as passion and zest. Without these, the performance becomes a mere unfinished skeleton, like some bare foundation provided by a computer, waiting for a human being to add his creativity and imagination. I never thought anyone could possibly make a boring recording of the Rakoczy March, but here it is.

I am forced to recommend the excellent alternatives provided by Cziffra, Horowitz and Brendel for anyone looking for the technical brilliance found here coupled with the invisible, spiritual Bohemian infusions required to make these pieces what they were meant to be.

I like it.......2005-03-18

Despite the criticism that these recordings have received, I have heard many other recordings of these pieces, and I actually like some of the interpretations on here better than other recordings, especially "Pester Karneval." Its hard to find a complete set of these pieces, and this is a nice one.

Michele is a MAN!.......2004-12-17

I have owned this collection for over 30 years (my mother got it for me when I was only 10) and it is and always will be the standard by which I judge all others. The fact that it is the standard does not make it automatically the best, just the standard.
What is undeniable is MR. Campanella's skill and talent. Many of these pieces can best be described as fiendish by Mr. Liszt's victims (among them myself). Mr. Campanella escapes our fate and if Franz were around to hear it he would no doubt congratulate Campanella for having the courage to take them all on and the forebearance/talent to succeed admirably on virtually every level.
I doubt very seriously that if this session was so awful that Philips/Decca would have bothered to keep it in continuous production for so long or to have reissued it on CD. If they had included the original copious liner notes from the vinyl pressing there would be no doubt in anyone's mind as to Michele's gender. But while this is a "budget" offering with smaller liner notes, etc. it still holds an embarassment of riches and remains a notable standard.
It is definitely worth a listen. It continues to bring me enjoyment after all these years.

Excellent.......2004-09-02

I think this version is awesome. The Campanella's performance is warm, frenzy, full of passion, intense, melancholic... everytime I listen to the rhapsody no. 2 my head is shooked....... though, the sound quality could be better (mainly on the disc 2), but I think the playing is outstanding, just as Liszt has to be played.
Only comparable to the Cziffra's version.

Liszt: The Complete Hungarian Rhapsodies, Vol. 1

Average customer rating:

Colossal treasure!

Liszt: The Complete Hungarian Rhapsodies, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000009IVL
Release Date: 1992-01-28

Tracks:

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 1 in E Major
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C Sharp minor
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 3 in B flat Major
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 4 in E flat Major
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 5 in E minor
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 in D flat Major
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 7 in D minor
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 8 in F sharp minor

Customer Reviews:

Colossal treasure!.......2005-05-12

The unforgettable Edith Farnadi was undoubtedly the major female Hungarian pianist in the first half of the XX Century. She won more than deservedly twice the Liszt Competition in the thirties.
His playing brings us the efussiveness and the true essence of the Hungarian sketches without affections but a real sense of this special commitment you will find it in the first bars.
I have not heard until now any superior version of Liszt's Sonata in B minor, after having listened her. Go for this album and you will be surprised.

Liszt: Complete Hungarian Rhapsodies, Vol. 3

Average customer rating:

Liszt: Complete Hungarian Rhapsodies, Vol. 3

Manufacturer: Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000009IZX
Release Date: 1992-01-28

Tracks:

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 16 in A minor
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 17 in D minor
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 18 in F sharp minor
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 19 in D minor
Rhapsody espagnol
Consolation No.1 in E Major
Consolation No.2 in E Major
Consolation No.3 in D flat Major
Consolation No.4 in D flat Major
Consolation No.5 in E Major
Consolation No.6 in E Major

Alfred Cortot: The Complete Acoustic Victor Recordings

Average customer rating:

A real let down from Biddulph Cortot Acoustic Victor

Alfred Cortot: The Complete Acoustic Victor Recordings

Manufacturer: Biddulph Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Customer Reviews:

A real let down from Biddulph Cortot Acoustic Victor.......2007-07-10

Biddulph transfers are usually pretty good but this disc containing the Complete Acoustic Victor Recordings is very poor. Actually this is the single worst transfer I've heard of this particular material. Not reccomended.