Search - F. Liszt, Claudio Arrau :: Liszt: 12 Études d'exécution transcendante [Hybrid SACD]

A Classic Recording as It Was Meant to be Heard

J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 04/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Claudio Arrau recorded the Transcendental Studies of Liszt in 1974 when he was in his seventies and still very much in command of his marvelous technique, not to speak of his musicianship. The recording was made in the then-new quadraphonic (four-channel) process by Philips and issued on quadraphonic LPs. That format was a commercial failure and did not survive. It was also issued on plain-vanilla LP and later, in about 1990, on stereo CD. The latter version is still available and reviews of the present performances can be found here: Liszt: Etudes (12) D'Execution Transcendante or Liszt: The Complete Etudes (the latter combined on two CDs with so-so performances of other Liszt études played by Nikita Magaloff). Now, via Pentatone, we get the original recording on a hybrid SACD disc, which can be played on both SACD and regular CD machines. (Pentatone is a company formed by former Philips engineers.) The sound in SACD is simply magnificent -- deep, lush, crystal clear, and with concert hall ambience.



These performances are themselves entirely treasurable. Arrau's wisdom and suavity are in clear evidence here. These are overall my favorite performances of the Transcendental Etudes.



Urgently recommended, particularly for those with SACD equipment.



Scott Morrison"