Customer Reviews

Nyiregyhazi at the Opera

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

 

 

Ervin Nyiregyhazi (1903-1987) was one of the rare pianists who could hold an audience in his spell. Unfortunately, the CBS Masterworks recordings from around 1976 are a little eccentric for most of our faint-hearted listeners, who like obvious musical choices that are cliched and somewhat boring. Nevertheless, while these present recordings of transcriptions by the controversial pianist are occasionally bizarre and wilful, there is a magnificent feeling of chance-taking that is rare among recorded artists today. Listen to the pellucid tone in the Wagner excerpts, and the overwhelming power and majesty of some of the pianism in the Verdi Trovatore excerpt. The Tschaikowsky is also colossal in scale, the Lensky theme never sounding more beautiful or monumental. If only there were more recordings of this man, perhaps we could have a clearer idea of his talent. But alas, we only have a few hours of recorded bits, and almost none of it is well-known repertoire. Still, if Sony has some sense of history, perhaps they can release the 1970s albums once again onto CD, as well as some unreleased material. (There is sure to be more of this!) But now we must content ourselves with this fascinating, yet flawed, aural experience from a dissolute, dipsomaniacal diva of the keyboard.

I had the enormous fortune to get two vynil records of this supreme pianist in the middle seventies and I am still amazed why his name means less than nothing for a great audience. This case is possibly unique in the music, when in the middle of his raising and promising career, he simply decided to vanish in the early twenties to re appear in 1973 with two admirable recordings.

From the first moment I listened him playing Liszt's Third Rhapsody and his own transcription about Lisz 's Sinfonic poem: Hamlet I never believed the monumental status, the powerful expressiveness , enormous musicality and above all an outstanding sense of the span he got.

No other piano artist in the music has made to sing the piano as Wilhem Kempff did it, but Nyireghihazi was very close to him; owner of a refined technique and his octaves literally will invade you and never let you indifferent.

Thanks to the efforts of notable voices and supreme authorities in this subject -as Harold Schoenberg for instance- has been possible to us , to enjoy and admire the supreme excellence of this singular pianist.

Please run and ask for this recording, because Erwin has been to my mind the greatest Hungarian pianist never born after Liszt, and one of the keyboard giants of the past Century.

Nyiregyhazi has rightfully been called Franz Liszt reincarnated. Here we finally get to hear again his legendary piano style (he was considered the greatest pianist of the early part of this century when he left the concert stage and disappeared) with absolutely haunting compositions of his own versions of some very popular pieces of music. He is a very fine composer, indeed, and we can only hope for more recordings by this master. This recording is an absolute must for piano lovers, Liszt lovers, music lovers and just a real treat.

Wonderfull pianism and beautiful music to boot. This pianist was a different breed and the music he made and recorded are different from most--some say too different -- but I personally find his music very good. This album of his music of opera is typical of his style--not just a piano player, but an interpter and pilot of the keyboard. He probably never played the same piece twice the same way. If you can listen to the LPs( and I happen to have the 2 LP set from Columbia ), the music from Listz on that LP is out of this world and I have never heard such piano music making. I say music making because that is what it is, music making, not just music playing. The same inspiration and spirit can be found in these opera works. It certainly helps to have some introduction to this man's style and background before you hear the opera CD. I rate it very high ( 4 to 4 1/2 stars) and only wish there was more of this music.

After reading about the new book on the life of this musical" genius" I was anxious to see if there were any recordings of his work. This was the only one I found and I was very disappointed- the playing seems to have no life to it and it would appear that he has lost much of his musical ability with the years.sounds like an old tired pianist with very little hint of Genius- wish he had made earlier recording when he was supposedly at his peak