Search - Franz Liszt, Jorge Bolet :: Liszt: Paraphrases

Truly "singend" (cantabile)!

SwissDave | Switzerland | 11/13/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are more obvious ways to show off one's virtuosity than to play paraphrases as if phrased by a human voice, but I seriously doubt there's a more convincing way - what Bolet does feels right. And what awesome pianism this takes upon closer inspection!



Note that this 1969 recording of Liszt's "Réminiscences de Lucia de Lammermoor de Donizetti" is the same as the one in Philips' Great Pianists of the Century collection (filler to the awesome 1974 Carnegie Hall recital) indicated in the booklet there as "rec. date unknown" - only that it sounds fuller-bodied and more colourful (Ensayo appears to have used the original master tape or earlier generation copy - the sound quality of this whole 1969 collection is very good). This piece alone, same as the Verdi Rigoletto Concert Paraphrase or Schumann's Frühlingsnacht, would be worth the price of admission.



No need to be afraid of listening to a disc full of lollipops, it's not as with an Earl Wild Liszt collection where one is probably better off having one piece of candy at a time to avoid feeling overstuffed. If there is anything negative to say about this collection, it would be that Bolet has recorded better accounts of Liszt's "Liebestraum No. 3" (1972 RCA and 1982 Decca).



Greetings from Switzerland, David."