Customer Reviews

Liszt: The Two Piano Concertos; The Piano Sonata

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

 

 

If you are new to the late Russian pianist Sviatoslav Richter, arguably the greatest all-round keyboard virtuoso of the last century, this is a splendid place to start. And if you are new to Liszt's piano concertos, there is little need to look any farther. Few "legendary" recordings live up to the praise heaped upon them so deservedly as these classic 1961 studio recordings. Richter's inspired blend of drama and poetry is matched by a superb accompaniment from Kondrashin and the London Symphony. Philips here has actually improved on the sound of the original LPs: only a trace of hiss betrays the fact that these performances were taped over four decades ago.

However, for Richter collectors, the situation is a little more complicated. These concertos are sensibly coupled with a "live" 1966 concert reading (from Livorno) of Liszt's Piano Sonata. Recently, Philips has re-issued these same concertos (minus the Liszt Sonata) in a coupling with three Beethoven sonatas (#10, 19 & 20). The sound on the newer disc is SLIGHTLY better than what is heard on this less expensive CD. Of course, Richter completists will want to have both.

Further complicating the situation, BBC Legends has issued the "live" 1961 Richter/Kondrashin concerto accounts (Royal Albert Hall, London) that preceded these studio recordings. While I generally prefer the "spontaneity" of actual concert performances, I think the studio accounts here are a little better realized and have superior sound. But again, the compleat Richterphile will need to own both: the BBC CD also has a "live" Liszt Hungarian Fantasia and Chopin's "Andante Spianato & Grande Polonaise." The Chopin is a personal favorite, along with the Czerny-Stefanska/Smetacek version on Supraphon (see my review). So, in short, I own both Philips releases as well as the BBC concert CD.

That brings us back to the Liszt Sonata, which Richter never recorded in the studio. This 1966 account is one of four "live" recordings by Richter (all of which have some wrong notes). It's superior to the 1965 Aldeburgh (Classica d'Oro), which is very messy and rushed, and about on a par with the 1965 Moscow (Brilliant Classics). All in all, it's a rather analytical reading, and I would rank it just behind historic recordings by Simon Barere (mine's on Turnabout LP) and Ernst Levy (on a wonderful Marston CD that includes a great account of Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" Sonata).

Unfortunately, Richter's GREATEST account of the Liszt Sonata is the only one that is currently un-available: a stupendously well-controlled, supremely poetic 18 May 1965 concert performance from Carnegie Hall. This was first issued on a rare LP (Private Edition P-101, apparently the only record issued by that label). I bought a copy in Manhattan back around 1974 for $20 - a princely sum in those days for a sole LP (adjusted for inflation, it's likely the most I have ever paid for a single disc). It also included the most awesomely well-played Mendelssohn "Variations Serieuses" I have ever heard (22 April 1965, Brooklyn), plus Richter's finest version of Beethoven's Op. 101 Sonata (3 May 1965, Carnegie Hall). This stunning Liszt Sonata was briefly available on a "Legendary Pianists" CD (Philips 422137, now deleted).

So, to summarize: 1) This Philips disc contains the greatest studio accounts of Liszt's piano concertos known to me, 2) You may want to supplement it with Richter's "live" BBC accounts, and 3) Hopefully, Philips will re-issue that fabulous "live" 1965 Liszt Sonata from Carnegie Hall. The latter is the greatest account of the Liszt Sonata I have ever heard, and just possibly Richter's greatest-ever recording, period. Philips, are you listening? [Nov. 2005 update: the 1965 Carnegie Hall reading of the Liszt Sonata has recently been re-issued on a Palexa CD, which is available here at Amazon]

Highly recommended.

The young Richter made his London debut with Kondrashin in these two Liszt concertos and the press reaction to them was savage. Which in my opinion, based on the recordings made of that concert was totally undeserved, although not all together surprising when one considers the political climate of 1961, so later that week when Richter and Kondrashin went to Walthamstow to make this recording, they went with a point to prove and did they prove it! Richer attacks the music from the opening bars in a way that one does not immediately associate with Liszt but which is wonderfully effective, hooking the listener and taking him along with the music. Wilma Cozart-Fine herself remastered the original three-track tapes and the sound has a terrific edge to it, though the traditionally bright Mercury "Living Presence" sound can cause problems if the replay equipment used in not up to the task, so beware.

The Sonata, recorded three decades later, shows a different side to Richter, not angry this time, but relaxed both with himself and with the music, thoughtful and contemplative. Relatively speaking of course, Richter's ability to rise to the challenge of the score's more aggressive passages is never in doubt.

This recording of the two Liszt piano concertos and the B-minor piano sonata show pianist Sviatoslav Richter with total mastery over these centerpieces of the virtuoso piano literature. The octaves are fast and wild, the bass booming but well-articulated, the upper register sparkling, and the scales evenly executed. Richter is often eccentric and sometimes sloppy, but these concerto performances are straight-forward and accessible. This recording of the concertos is as good as any in the literature, although I have a small preference for Arrau's recording with Ormandy in the 1950s.

The Liszt b-minor piano sonata is possibly his most original creation, even though the work has a clear conceptual precedent in Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy. The piece follows a cyclical structure, is based on the thorough development of several basic motifs, and constantly places monumental techical demands on the performer. Richter plays throughout with daring and aggression, except for the introduction and coda, in which he nearly loses all sense of structure for the work by taking an excessively slow tempo. While this live recording of the sonata has its share of wrong notes, the energy of the performance demonstrates that Richter was at his best in concert. Once again, this is a performance nearly as good as any other, although I prefer the recordings of Cliburn, Arrau, and Argerich.

The sound quality of the digital re-mastering (probably all 1960s original recordings) is excellent--particularly for the rendering of the London Symphony Orchestra, who are in surprisingly energetic and excellent form under Kondrashin's direction (despite poor intonation in a few passages). Unfortunately, the live recording itself for the sonata contains some thumping in the fugue section, which was probably a result of poor microphone placement.

Franz Liszt had written an enomous piano works, including Rhapsodies, Waltzes, Préludes, Annees de Pelerinage, Etudes, Transcriptions, Symphonic Poems... And the number of works goes to the thousands. But he just wrote two concertos and one sonata. I believe they are some of most beautiful concertos and sonatas in classical.

When talk about Liszt, people often think about V. Horowitz, J. Bolet, E. Szegedi, or G. Cziffra. Even some famous pianists said "Noone can't play Liszt like Horowitz". It could be true, but not with these concertos and sonata. Richter had made a legendary record with outstanding technique. Comparing to Argerich, Cziffra in concertos and Horowitz in sonata in B, Richter played more dramatically and gently. Especially in concerto N. 1, Adagios, every notes like drops of crystal. Performed with Kiril Kondrashin and London Symphony Orchestra, this is a must have CD in your collection. Another CD of Liszt's concertos you could consider is Boris Berezovsky - Liszt concerto and sonata in B (Leonskaya). Boris Berezovsky is a young pianist (1969) with briliant talen and won Tchaikovsky competition in 1990.

Moreover, there are many valuable albums of Richter you can find if you want to explore more about this pianist, like Richter in Prague, Rediscovery - with Prokofiev's sonata No. 6 played in Carnegie Hall, Schumann's works...

This is the finest recording of these works, particularly the amazing sonata. At mid-price it is a steal. Richter's performances are electrifying in the more frenetic moments (such as the opening of the sonata which grabs you by the short hairs and won't let go) but beautiful and elegant in the slower parts. Sound quality is good. This is the place to start a collection of Liszt recordings and essential for anyone who likes Liszt or great piano playing. (P.S. If you think you don't like Liszt but like Mozart, try Liszt's paraphrase of Don Giovanni recorded by Bolet or Ginsburg and you may get hooked).

As a teenager I listened to the vinyl recording of the Liszt Concertos. In the late '60s it stood head and shoulders above most recordings in terms of audio fidelity. Even today the sound impressively holds its own with the very best. Arguably, the piano sound is more natural than that of digital recordings, which tend to be brittle.

Perhaps the audio quality will one day be surpassed. It is doubtful that Richter's stunning performances ever will. This is music-making at its best: inspired, spontaneous, yet with masterful control and a sense of the whole, evidenced by both pianist and conductor.

This recording is so satisfying that no other will seem necessary. It is simply the last word; on the Liszt Piano Concertos no more needs to be said. The same is true for the magnificent rendition of the Sonata, although the audio suffers by comparison to that of the Concertos.

I can't agree with the review below that gives this CD 1 star; I've decided to speak up just to improve the average rating. The interpretations of the 2 concertos tower above all other attempts (as is usual with Richter); the B minor sonata is played with tremendous passion; the sound quality is excellent (probably the best among all Richter CDs of that period); the price speaks for itself. The complaints made below (background noise, volume of the recording) are (1) very exaggerated by the reviewer and (2) extremely shallow; please do not let them influence your decision.

There's not so much to say about this disc, and that has not yet been said by the finest listeners.

I've approached this disc because it's one of the "Gramophone Classical 100", i.e. one of the 100 best classical recordings of all the times (reviewed by Gramophone). Just listen to it to agree: Richter is not a surprise (my greatest sadness comes from the consciousness that we won't have any other recording from him). He has performed many concertos together with Kondrashin, and their feeling comes up at once from the firsts seconds.

Furthermore, the coupling with the Sonata S178 has been, in my opinion, a very happy choice.

The only drawback to be kept in account is the recording quality. The disc is an ADD, and not one of the best ones. The piano is not bad, but the orchestra's sound is thin and a bit confused. Fortunately for the disc, the loose in recording quality weights much lesser than the artistic quality.

I'm a great fan of the 1st concerto and the Sonata in B minor, and who else to play it than Sviatoslav Richter? His interpretations are simply out of this world, and do yourself a favor and listen to them. You won't regret it, I promise. Kyril Kondrashin has also done a very supportive job and the overall effect is solid. Personally i do not like the 2nd concerto because the entire form of the piece is not as compact and cohesive as the 1st concerto and Sonata, but i still give it five stars because of the marvellous performances of the 1st concerto and Sonata. Bottom line? Buy it!

Of course, as great pianists go, Richter is perhaps the best all-rounder, and like many a pianophile I probably have more recordings by him than by any other single pianist. Nevertheless, there is greater refinement and daring in Byron Janis's Mercury Living Presence recording of the Liszt concertos. Much as I also like serious and probing accounts of the Liszt sonata and so would not part with Arrau on Philips (coupled with a fine Vallee d'Obermann and a superb Benediction), it is difficult to return to him or indeed to Richter once you have encountered Martha Argerich's astonishing recording of the sonata on her Debut Recital compilation on DG. Richter's only fault was that he could occasionally take too firm an approach to a piece just as Michelangeli could sometimes seem to be too aloof. Richter's virtuosity could be astonishing (the Mendelssohn Variations serieuses appended to the Richter/Rostropovich DVD of the complete Beethoven cello sonatas, the Chopin Etude Op10 No4 on the Bruno Monsaigneon DVD, and Debussy's L'Isle joyeuse on BBC Legends) - and his poetry could be just as breathtaking (the Chopin Ballade No3 on the same BBC CD set) - but sometimes Richter could also go over the top and allow his ferocious virtuosity to squeeze the poetry out of a piece. Neither the Liszt concerto recordings nor the sonata are cases of this approach, but nor are they Richter at his most completely inspired - and for my money the Janis and Argerich recordings are superior for the COMBINATION of virtuosity and poetry. Byron and Martha rule on this occasion! ...Postscript: Long since I wrote these notes, Yuja Wang has recorded the Liszt sonata for DG on a marvellous recital disc coupled with Chopin's second sonata and two Ligeti etudes. I have also acquired several stunning accounts of the sonata by Emil Gilels, including a live Salzburg Festival account on Orfeo and his 1965 RCA studio recording - both marvellous. Still, pressed to make a single recommendation for the Liszt sonata now (October 2011), I would go for Yuja Wang. A super programme, a lovely-looking disc and beautifully recorded, natural sound - above all, a thrilling, marvellously musical performance which can excite and also make time stand still. I have reviewed the disc separately.