Search - Franz Liszt, Michael Gielen, Vienna Symphony Orchestra :: Alfred Brendel plays Liszt

Such a deal!

musicfaninchicago | Chicago, IL USA | 03/09/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is some great music played very well early in Brendel's career. While not the most soaring and sublime performances Brendel brings out much of the beauty and is not "bangy". In addition to the concerti and sonata, this includes some less well known material that is definitely worth hearing like the wild Totentanz and the "Lugubre Gondola". The other smash bargain Liszt recording to buy is Cohen's selection of mostly later works in the Naxos series of Liszt piano music. If you want to pay a little more, for about 10-12 bucks you can get Richter playing both concerti and the sonata on Philips. That's the place to start a collection of Liszt playing. And pick up Ginsburg's CD in the Russian Piano School series."

Alfred Brendel plays Liszt

Alex Gochenour | Vienna, Virginia United States | 05/14/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The tracks all are performed well. Brendel breezes through the most difficult passages as though he were playing Haydn's Childrens' Pieces. The sound quality is not very good, but this comprehensive two-disc package is pretty good otherwise."

Percussive and serious

Theophilus | Ohio, U.S. | 03/17/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm not sure why Brendel resorts to such a harsh, percussive sound to everything he plays, but it is nauseating after a while. Dont get me wrong, Brendel has a fluent technique and can be expressive and lyrical at times. But for the most part, his tone is not at all desirable.



I give this album four stars because of Brendel's genuine admiration for Liszt, and because the performances give each work a certain seriousness which is befitting the "pinnacle" of Romantic pianism (Liszt's music). There's no denying it, Brendel is a decent pianist with a sincere, structuralist approach to Liszt."