Search - Ferruccio Busoni, Hamish Milne :: Busoni: Fantasia Contrappuntistica

A quieter, more introspective Busoni . . .

Valerie Scruggs | Alexandria, Va | 03/20/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hamish Milne, as expected, delivers a phenominal performance on the Fantasia contrappuntistica. It was the other pieces, the Liszt Fantasy and Fugue on the Chorale 'Ad nos, ad salutarem undam' and the Andantino from Mozart's ninth piano concerto, that, in all honesty, really caught my attention and stole the show.

Specifically, I was deeply moved by the transparency of the Liszt. It exceeded my expectations when it came to separating the parts, releasing the inner voices, and allowing the listener to enjoy the music in its totality, one note at a time. It was, dare I say, almost religious in experience.

The Mozart, likewise, does not disappoint. Where the Liszt piece imparts a veil like transparancy for the listener to gaze thru, the Mozart piece envelopes the listener in a universe of beauty and innocence that seems to transcends the very fabric of space and time.

This is a rare recording that should not be missed.

"

A must-buy for Busoni's Fantasia alone

Kirk Falconer | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | 04/03/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am in complete accord with the enthusiastic Scruggs review of this Hamish Milne recording of a major Busoni piano composition and transcriptions of Liszt and Mozart. However, while all of the music on this Hyperion disc is brilliant, and brilliantly performed, I save most of my superlatives for the barnstorming Fantasia Contrappuntistica.



The Fantasia is vintage Busoni, with a sound world that seems to fuse Baroque and late Romantic traditions with a variety of modern influences. Like Busoni's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Doktor Faust, Indianische Fantasie, the Sonatinas, and other works, it is highly original, lush, meditative, and chock full of thrilling moments - all managed in an understated Busoni style that adds immeasurably to the listening experience.



It can't be easy to approach a performance of a Busoni piano piece, given the composer's reputation for virtuosity. Indeed, he evidently composed in part to challenge himself as an artist. However, Milne's reading is accomplished, bringing out all of the Fantasia's subtle beauty, and the best I've heard to date.



If by chance you are already a fan of the popular Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (performed magnificently by Hamelin-Elder, also on the Hyperion label) or other Busoni, but don't know this work, treat yourself to this disc. Oh - and don't forget the enchanting Liszt and Mozart.



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