Marc-André Hamelin plays Liszt [Import]

Franz Liszt (Artist), Marc-André Hamelin (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 10, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Hyperion UK
• ASIN: B000002ZXV
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,943 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Apparition No. 1 In F Sharp Major S155 No. 1

2. Waldesrauschen S145 No. 1

3. Un Sospiro S144 No. 3

4. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 10 In E Major S244

5. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13 In A Minor S244

6. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 In C Sharp Minor S244

7. Nuages gris S199

8. En reve - Nocturne S207

9. Reminiscences de Don Juan S418

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Maurizio Ogdon", May 17, 2005

By 

C. Pinheiro Jr. (Săo Paulo, Brazil) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Marc-André Hamelin plays Liszt (Audio CD)

The Canadian pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin, born in 1961, is a unique blend of the characteristics of two very disparate keyboard masters: the British John Ogdon (1937-1989) and the Italian Maurizio Pollini (b. 1942). Like Ogdon, Hamelin relishes the big and complex pieces, the hard-to-find-and-even-harder-to-perform scores, the fiendish obstacles posed by the arcane music of Alkan, Godowsky, Busoni, Ives and Sorabji; the more difficult and complicated the music, the more Hamelin revels in it. And in the manner of Pollini, Hamelin displays an absolutely smooth pianism, a notable architectural grasp of the work at hand and an affinity for modern/contemporary music, as evidenced by his excursions through Villa-Lobos, Shostakovich, Barber, Shchedrin and Rzewsky, amongst others. And, like both Ogdon and Pollini, Hamelin envelops everything he plays with one of the most all-embracing techniques in instrumental history.

Here, we have Hamelin in more conventional fare. In this Liszt programme, the pianist proves equally adept at the high Romantic repertoire. Indeed, from the rollicking bravura of the Hungarian rhapsodies to the pre-Debussyan hues of late pieces like Nuages Gris, Hamelin shows commendable flair and idiomatic understanding, along with the expected technical mastery. If all the works on this CD are expertly delivered, two stand out as paramount achievements. One is the Don Juan Fantasy, as fearsome a finger-twister as any in the literature, which Hamelin tosses off with an incendiary ease and accuracy not to be found even in Simon Barere's legendary recordings of the piece. The other is the Hungarian Rhapsody n. 2, a work which has elicited cadenzas and other embelishments from many giants of the piano like Sergei Rachmanivov, Alfred Cortot, Benno Moiseiwitsch and Vladimir Horowitz (who famously rewrote the "Friska" section to superhuman effect). Hamelin arguably trumps them all with a supercadenza of his own devising, an extravagant variation-like concoction of octaves, leaps and other technical stunts that must be one of the most extraordinary feats of virtuosity ever put on record. The effect is thrilling, totally in keeping with the structure of the rhapsody and nearly incredible.

Marc-Andre Hamelin's pianistic powers beggar description, but he is much more than a fantastic workman. Serious and scholarly, his interpretations are always tempered by intelectual rigour and impeccable musicianship.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Too Technically Immaculate for its Own Good, August 29, 2008

By 

C. Pontus T. (SE/Asia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marc-André Hamelin plays Liszt (Audio CD)

Playing the piano isn't easy. 'Really, for sure (as one wouldn't know!)?' Yes, definitely for sure. Playing Bach and Beethoven isn't easy--playing Ravel and Messiaen even more so--playing Scriabin and Rachmaninov yet even more so--but perhaps the most difficult composers to play are Chopin and Liszt. 'Why is that?' Because their music is so masterfully composed with such immaculate understanding of the instrument. I would assert that throwing a Chopin or Liszt Etude or Ballade is the ultimate calling card to verify whether or not we're dealing with an accomplished pianist.

In recent years, it has been increasingly acknowledged that Marc-Andre Hamelin probably is the overall most accomplished pianist currently alive--technically as well interpretatively. 'Why then has it taken such time for people to pick that up--or even more to the point, why are there still so many allegedly learned musical people who refuse to recognise it?' Well, my guess is the reason being the fact that Hamelin has focused almost exclusively on lesser-known works and composers, often so technically demanding that few other pianists have bothered even trying, hence, limiting the material for comparisons. 'Any examples?' Try any of his Alkan, Godowsky or Medtner and you will instantly know.

Against that background, this Liszt recital from 1996 is all the more welcome. I think I'll just spell it out for you right away: I don't think there is any other living (or dead) pianist that can play Liszt like this--at least I haven't been able find any evidence pointing in any other direction. 'Can you elaborate, please.' Well, I haven't heard any other pianist being able to negotiate all the myriad notes Liszt throw at the performer with such complete and unforced ease. 'But his interpretations are not as profound as the likes of Arrau, Berman or Bolet!' Wrong again, they are actually even more profound as Hamelin, by simple logic, finds himself more relative room to bring out the profoundness of the interpretations. 'But his 13th Hungarian Rhapsody is more boring than Cziffra's!' Yes, indeed it is--until reaching the Vivace section, which is boiling and sparkling like no other version. As a matter of fact, virtually every single performance on this CD sets new standards--most notably so Waldesrauschen, Un Sospiro, the 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody and probably most of all Reminiscences de Don Juan.

All-in-all, here you have amongst the most consummate Liszt playing imaginable--so good that it sort of makes some people alienated or perhaps envious. At least, that's a way of trying to understand such silly labels like 'Focused on Virtuosity', 'the glass is half empty', 'Brilliant but flawed' or 'Technically superb, musically moribund'. All the same, these are better just ignored as they rather reflect shortcomings in the respective reviewers rather than this recording.

The Wigmore Hall recording leaves little to be desired. 'But 62:37 is short measure these days!' Then, jump right into Hamelin's bonus cadenza for the 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody and you'll find yourself gasping, jaw-dropping and cheering for another 10 or 15 minutes. Rest assured that you won't find higher pleasurable returns per invested unit of money than this Liszt recital.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favourite Hamelin CDs, October 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Marc-André Hamelin plays Liszt (Audio CD)

After searching for this recording on Amazon.com and finding - to my shock - that it was currently averaging only 3 stars, I felt it was my duty to step in and defend it, as it's one of Hamelin's best, and Liszt to rival any modern interpreter.

This is a great recording, and you shouldn't hesitate to buy it for one second. I suppose the previous reviewer must have an extremely short attention span, because I wasn't bored for one second, and was in fact utterly fascinated by every second of this amazing disc. His/her comparison of Hamelin to a "circus act" was ridiculous.

He plays with an intellect 99% of the "great" pianists can't approach, and his jaw-dropping technique, while flawless, is totally in service of the music. His virtuosity is mind-boggling, but it's not showy, self-indulgent virtuosity like Horowitz, it's merely a means to an end, serving to convey the music in as direct and meaningful a way as possible. Hamelin lets you focus on the music and forget the performance. This is much more than a keyboard stunt show, it's a recital of well thought out and brilliantly executed interpretations of some of the most well known, and some of the more obscure, Liszt repertoire.

As with just about everything Hamelin records, he pretty much blows away the competition with every piece. "Waldesrauschen" is unbelievably fluid and perfect, by far the best rendering I've ever heard. Un sospiro is, to my mind, a bit rushed with not enough rubato, but crystal clear and a pleasure to listen to. The Hungarian rhapsodies are probably the most rock-solid performances you'll hear...No comparison to the electrifying over-the-top virtuosity of Cziffra but Hamelin's crazy cadenza to the second rhapsody is topped only by Volodos' insane transcription of the piece. Nuages gris and En reve are appropriately quiet and meditative. The Don Juan fantasy is the definitive recording of that piece. I've heard most of the alternatives and Hamelin's is the best.

Incidentally, I bought this disc at one of Hamelin's concerts here in my hometown of Nelson, BC, as part of the "Piano Six tour." He's as amazing live as he is in his recordings.