Liszt: Sonata for piano in Bm; Funérailles

1. Funérailles, for piano (Harmonies poétiques No. 7), S.173/7 (LW A158/7) No. 7, Funérailles
Composed by Franz Liszt

2. Sonata, for piano in B minor, S. 178 (LW A179)
Composed by Franz Liszt

3. Nuages gris (Trübe Wolken), for piano, S. 199 (LW A305)
Composed by Franz Liszt

4. Kleine Klavierstücke (5), for piano, S. 192 (LW A233) No.3
Composed by Franz Liszt

5. En rêve, nocturne for piano, S. 207 (LW A336)
Composed by Franz Liszt

6. R.W.-Venezia, for piano, S. 201 (LW A320)
Composed by Franz Liszt

Product Description

Amazon.com
In this, his latest reading of the Liszt sonata, recorded in 1991, Alfred Brendel reveals his towering mastery of the piece's complex road map and a new depth of insight into its expressive concerns. His interpretation is notable for its grip and continuity and becomes especially affecting in the final pages as he draws the many emotional threads together in a transcendent revery. The account is very well recorded and nicely framed by the pensive accompanying selections. --Ted Libbey

Tracks:

Sonate H-Moll In B Minor: Lento assa - Allegro energico-; Andante sostenuto-; Allegro energico
Nuages gris
La notte
La lugubre gondola 2
Funerailles

Amazon.com

Krystian Zimerman's brilliant, powerful account makes an extraordinary impression, both in its overall sweep and in its extremely fine resolution of textural detail. The pacing is excellent, the playing electrifyingly virtuosic yet disciplined, the interpretation impassioned yet dry-eyed and impressively controlled. The fugato is taken at an unbelievable clip and rendered with dazzling accuracy and effect. The recording, made in the concert hall of Copenhagen's Tivoli Park in 1990, achieves an outstanding balance between presence and ambience. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

The Liszt B minor played as a fascinating tone poem.......2006-08-30

I don't have much to add to the praise so deservedly lavished on Zimerman's 1990 account of the Liszt B minor sonata. As noted below, the piano sound is deep, ful, and realistic. Famous accounts by Horowitz and Pollini aren't recorded half as well. Zimerman plays with remarkable originality and variety--he's in a class by himself on that score.

Liszt invented the orchestral toen poem, and this pianist plays an abstract sonata as if it's full of people and places, shifting pscyhological moods and dreamy fantasy. He's ultra-Romantic in the sense that every shrede of imagination is being extracted before our ears. The fillers, mysterious fragments from the late Liszt, are played just as evocatively.

Simply amazing!.......2005-07-08

This is a truly amazing disc. Zimerman has it all: a great sound, a great overall vision of this exceptional work (probably the best work of Liszt) and a stunning virtuosity (listen to the fugato!). For me this is without doubt the best recording of the Liszt sonata, with all respect for all those other great recordings of great masters as Bolet, Argerich, Arrau, Gilels, Pollini, etc.
Do not even hesitate one second, buy this CD!

simply very good.......2005-03-09

That's really one of the best Liszt Sonatas I own on CD. It's probably the best, but that's very hard to tell, if you know Horowitz (let's go...), Argerich (see what my Steinway can bear), PLETNEV (maybe the most virtuosic interpretation), Gilels ("broad"), Curzon (incredibly risky), Cziffra (3 hands), Pogorelich (surprise), etc...
What I really like about this CD is the beautiful sound quality of the piano. Also listen to the other tracks, it's so abysmal Liszt-
I love it- and you will love it too....

Simply amazing - and not only the Sonata.......2002-12-26

Incredible - even compared to Horowitz's this Sonata-recording is breathtaking, but i would like to point out that the other performances on this CD are amazing as well: You hardly can get a good recording of the piano version of La Notte and Zimerman plays it so movingly (it is surely the best what You can find by now), La Lugubre Gondola is also played with much understanding although i prefer it to be a little slower and gloomier (like the Erno Szegedi-recording), the Funerailles is PERFECT!!! No other words to describe! Zimerman is not affraid of using the pedal (most pianists are) as indicated in the beginning of the piece, the funeral march makes one cry, the Chopinesque left-hand octaves in the second half are played with incredible evenness (i only heard such delicacy in that passage from Bolet before). The Nuages Gris is played well as well, although a bit too fast in the beginning i felt.
Alltogether - IF YOU LIKE LISZT'S MUSIC YOU HAVE TO GET THIS DISC.

Simply amazing - and not only the Sonata.......2002-12-26