Customer Reviews

Liszt: The Complete Etudes

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The first disc of this set should be rated among the best recordings of all time. Claudio Arrau, the Chilean pianist, has no peer in the Transcendental Studies. His technique is startlingly good for a septuagenarian, and the sweep and inspiration that he brings to every study is utterly magnificent. Few play Wilde Jagd more relentlessly (the only faster performances I know of are by Kissin, Berman and Richter, but none makes as much music out of it). The drive and fury of the Allegro Agitato Molto is unique, the poetry and sonority of Hamonies du Soir almost unreal. The thunderous octaves in Eroica impress mightily too. Yet most of all, it is hard to imagine Chasse-Neige sounding more harrowing and dramatic than it is rendered here. Some of his tempo choices are controversial: Feux Follets and Mazeppa are slower than the norm. That said, I find Mazeppa particularly effective at this pace -- it sounds like a tone poem in Arrau's hands, and not a mere gunfire of notes. Feux Follets too is unusually delicate, though Richter may still top him in this piece. Arrau's discography is huge and full of riches, yet these recordings deserve to be listed among his greatest achievements of all.

Indeed, Magaloff's dry-eyed and light-fingered pianism couldn't be more different from Arrau's huge, rhetoricianlike style, but his account of the Paganini studies is a very refined and interesting one nonetheless. La Campanella rarely sounds more crisp, and La Chasse is appropriately humorous.

But the main focus on these discs remains on the Arrau recordings, which represent one of the century's greatest pianists in his peak. Absolutely essential listening for anyone who cherishes Arrau and Liszt, and even for those who normally do not.

I bought these CD's against my better judgment, because I already had several recordings of the Transcendental Etudes that I thought couldn't be beat (Kissin, Bolet, Lazar Berman), but I wanted the Paganini, so . . .

Arrau is a pianist that I have never liked, and I listen to and buy more classical piano recordings than anything else, but I am amazed to find that he has an incredible affinity for Liszt here. This is now my favorite recording of the Transcendental Etudes. And as the reviewer above says, Magaloff is no slouch either. (Far from it!)

Sound quality couldn't be better.

A true bargain.

I think that this pairing is wonderful. In my experience, Arrau is the supreme master of Liszt. He shows us that Liszt's wonderful compositions are so much more than crass bravura. It takes a master like Arrau to search beneath the waves of notes and octaves for the real meaning.

If you enjoy this CD, I would HIGHLY recommend Philips recent release of Arrau performing the Liszt Sonata. Neither Bolet nor Horowitz come close, IMO, in making an arching unit of this massive work.

How sad that today's pianists are so tuned for perfection, and less for fresh insight. Arrau could throw in plenty of bad notes in his day, but they were simply tiny blemishes on a work of art.

How could you find all Liszt's etudes in a 2CDs set played by the great Arrau and Magalof like this? I don't agree with some people here about Arrau. Although his technique is not brilliant, his interpretation is what I may call "legendary". I find the etudes very wonderful, especially Ricordanza, Harmonies du soir, Chasse-neige, Gnomenreign. The way he ends the "La leggierezza" is unimaginable, softly and "rubato" (this piece was written in Chopinesque style). Bolet's playing is soft and not impressive. In this CD, you can see clearly the snow-whirl here, not in Bolet's (DECCA). The "Harmonies du soir" is unbeatable. He played it fast and with all his passion. The Paganini's etudes are also wonderful under Magalof's hands. Don't hesitate to buy these 2 CDs for the price of one !

What can I say that hasn't already been said by the others who have reviewed this recording? All I can do is agree. This is my first recording of the Transcendental Etudes and I have no desire to go out and buy someone else's recording. I'm perfectly content with this one. Usually I like to compare one recording with another, but in this case there is no need. Arrau is the consummate master of Liszt.

Only a few pianists have recorded the études d'exécution trnscendante. Among them, the chilean pianist Claudio Arrau is the greatest. He combines virtuosism with poetry, profundity with clearness. All extra words are in vain. Just listen to this recording.

This is only about the etudes (which are one of my favorite classical pieces of all times): Claudio Arrau's recording and interpretation is awesome -- several people have written that this is the only one you need. Well, I disagree, you need two, at least. Although this is really played well Japanese artist Kosuge Yu's recording on Sony, which is unfortunately not available currently from amazon.com (but from amazon.de or amazon.co.jp http://www.amazon.de/Etudes-Yu-Kosuge/dp/B00008CLLX/ref=sr_1_4/303-1010438-3173063?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1190005201&sr=8-4), is better. The notes come out better, there is more energy, she plays some pieces a bit faster, she holds the rhythm much better, the recording itself is better -- compare yourself. Especially Mazeppa and Eroica seem almost lame (sorry :-) compared to Kosuge Yu's interpretation -- she is on fire in comparison. It feels that she owns that music while in Arrau's case the music owns him for some of the pieces. Kosuge Yu said apparently that Claudio Arrau was her idol in playing this music -- well, not surprisingly, you can hear it.

My best Liszt Etudes so far. I have bought two of them, one as a gift to a friend. And years later, I have bought Arrau's Heritage album which consists also of these etudes.

Some people may find Arrau's Beethoven or even his Brahms authentic, others may find some of his Beethoven sonatas boring, however inspired they may be. But with his Liszt, there is no way that one will ever get bored: under Arrau's fingers, the etudes sound more like symphonies and tonal poems. They may not be stunning, but they are sublime and so thrilling that they actually reminds you, in different ways, of almost all Liszt's ups and downs.

I never like Bolet, let alone Kissin. For fascination, people may like to try Cziffra as well. But it is nothing like Arrau's Liszt at all. It is not clear if the inclusion of Magaloff is a coincidence. But he is well worth of our time, and we don't have a lot of his recordings anyway. Viewers might as well treat it as a bonus.

I praise what you have stated about Arrau's performance in "the Complete Études". Arrau's recording is brillant. And for the most part, I have to agree with what you had to say about Magaloff. But one thing you wrote stood out from the rest, of which I'll quote: "on the third (la campenella) *dont know how to spell it*, he changes the intoduction of the theme to octaves, and does a good bit of more improvising half-way through the piece...I couldn't even follow the music." Billy, you have got to learn exactly what you're saying because I've played the La Campanellas. Both of them. Liszt wrote two versions of this étude, one of them is "heavy" while the other one is "lighter". Magaloff played the "light" La Campanella, so therefore, the music you were trying to follow technically wasn't even the same peice! There is no wonder why you were lost.
On another note, I suggest this album to all lovers of music. This is my best CD and I probably have about fifty at this point. I give this record 5 out of 5 stars because, the recordings by Arrau are "gold", his use of Tempo Rubato is so finely tuned that age is the only way that level of mastery can be attained. Arrau's recordings are very inspiring esspecially the Paysage, Wilde Jagd, Harmonies du Soir, and Chasse-Neige. Liszt would have been proud.

I live in South America and my english is not good enough to review. Lizt is my favorite piano composer and have enjoyed every minute of this wonderful CD