Liszt Piano Works
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Franz Liszt
Label: Classics
Magazine Review Date: 6/1988
Media Format: Vinyl
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 790700-1
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Mephisto Waltz No. 1, 'Der Tanz in der Dorfschenke |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| Venezia e Napoli (rev version), Movement: No. 3, Tarantella |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| Rapsodie espagnole |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| Harmonies poétiques et réligieuses, Movement: No. 3, Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| Harmonies poétiques et réligieuses, Movement: No. 4, Pensée des morts |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| (2) Légendes, Movement: No. 1, St Francis of Assisi preaching to the birds |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
Composer or Director: Franz Liszt
Label: Classics
Magazine Review Date: 6/1988
Media Format: Cassette
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 790700-4
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Mephisto Waltz No. 1, 'Der Tanz in der Dorfschenke |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| Venezia e Napoli (rev version), Movement: No. 3, Tarantella |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| Rapsodie espagnole |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| Harmonies poétiques et réligieuses, Movement: No. 3, Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| Harmonies poétiques et réligieuses, Movement: No. 4, Pensée des morts |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| (2) Légendes, Movement: No. 1, St Francis of Assisi preaching to the birds |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
Composer or Director: Franz Liszt
Label: Classics
Magazine Review Date: 6/1988
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 75
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 759664-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Mephisto Waltz No. 1, 'Der Tanz in der Dorfschenke |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| Venezia e Napoli (rev version), Movement: No. 3, Tarantella |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| Rapsodie espagnole |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| Harmonies poétiques et réligieuses, Movement: No. 3, Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| Harmonies poétiques et réligieuses, Movement: No. 4, Pensée des morts |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
| (2) Légendes, Movement: No. 1, St Francis of Assisi preaching to the birds |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Franz Liszt, Composer Stephen Hough, Piano |
Author: James Methuen-Campbell
This CD seems to have been planned to cater for two categories of Liszt lovers—the first three pieces are out-and-out virtuoso works designed to thrill and stun, the others demonstrate Liszt the religious mystic. The juxtaposition highlights the divide in the composer's character in the most blatant of terms. Despite displaying the most miraculous clarity of passagework in the bravura pieces, I definitely prefer Stephen Hough in the deeper ones, in which his musical imagination is stretched further.
From the opening bars of the First Mephisto Waltz one admires the superbly colourful piano sound, which conveniently compensates for some of the brittleness in Hough's tone. Tending to be submerged in detail, the overall effect of this work is spoilt by one or two excessively coy rubatos, presumably employed to add personality to the performance. The same miscalculations are evident in some 'oh so whimsical' touches in the ''Tarantella''. However, the slow section here is aptly restive and refined.
Having heard these two pieces one could predict Stephen Hough's approach to theRhapsodie espagnole. To my way of thinking there is no need for him to fetter this music with additions to the sonority. Hough would have been well advised to look to his own playing, rather than in adding to what Liszt wrote (after all, I don't remember Gilels, Bolet and Petri finding the composer lacking in this respect…). There is a preponderance of the non legato touch that reduces much to sounding notey. His misplaced obsession with clarity of texture reduces the effect of the climaxes. The body of sound lacks accumulated density. Nevertheless, I must pay tribute to the ease with which he negotiates even the toughest of technical hurdles.
I enjoyed the rest of the CD considerably more. ''Pensee des morts'' proves that Hough can shape and sustain a poetic conception: there is no hint of melodrama here and the hell-fire climaxes carry real weight. Some may feel that this piece rambles, but when one comes to the Legende No. 1, ''La predication aux oiseaux'', the scope for aural beauty in Liszt's score allows Hough to create something wonderfully luminous and memorable. Liszt's simplicity of expression comes across at its most persuasive—one can sense his vision of the fragile harmony that exists between man and nature.
The ''Benediction'' continues in the same serious vein, although it is not until the Andante that a real sense of peace and contentment are convincingly expressed. The earlier section with its self-conscious religiosity borders on kitsch. Hough certainly approaches these three more demanding pieces with a highly impressive blend of musicality and superb technique. The magnificently vivid sound should be noted as being of demonstration quality.
'
From the opening bars of the First Mephisto Waltz one admires the superbly colourful piano sound, which conveniently compensates for some of the brittleness in Hough's tone. Tending to be submerged in detail, the overall effect of this work is spoilt by one or two excessively coy rubatos, presumably employed to add personality to the performance. The same miscalculations are evident in some 'oh so whimsical' touches in the ''Tarantella''. However, the slow section here is aptly restive and refined.
Having heard these two pieces one could predict Stephen Hough's approach to the
I enjoyed the rest of the CD considerably more. ''Pensee des morts'' proves that Hough can shape and sustain a poetic conception: there is no hint of melodrama here and the hell-fire climaxes carry real weight. Some may feel that this piece rambles, but when one comes to the Legende No. 1, ''La predication aux oiseaux'', the scope for aural beauty in Liszt's score allows Hough to create something wonderfully luminous and memorable. Liszt's simplicity of expression comes across at its most persuasive—one can sense his vision of the fragile harmony that exists between man and nature.
The ''Benediction'' continues in the same serious vein, although it is not until the Andante that a real sense of peace and contentment are convincingly expressed. The earlier section with its self-conscious religiosity borders on kitsch. Hough certainly approaches these three more demanding pieces with a highly impressive blend of musicality and superb technique. The magnificently vivid sound should be noted as being of demonstration quality.
'
Liszt Piano Works
Liszt Piano Works
Liszt Piano Works
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