Search - Franz Liszt, Huseyin Sermet :: Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor

Demented passion

carol France | 04/20/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the most intense and insane interpretation of Liszt piano sonata in B minor ever heard.Huseyin Sermet has surely not studied his outrageous passion in France, but was born with it! He received many awards and the Choc du Monde de la Musique for this CD. He is also terrific with Alkan's music.He is so spontaneous and delirious, grabbing and shaking you like a tree in a storm. There are moments of voluptuousness and repose, followed by mad and powerful waves like lightnings that leave you trembling and moved.It is an intoxicating performance, the best CD by Sermet. I have heard this sonata by Jorge Bolet, Sviatoslav Richter, Geza Anda, etc., but this is the most enthralling. It is very different, very personal. Astonishing!"

Lovely Liszt performance by an elite pianist Huseyin Sermet

M.Numan inal | Ankara Turkey | 06/03/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Turkish pianist Huseyin Sermet is one of the best Revel performer.On this Liszt piano sonata (b minor) Sermet again has an outstanding performance. He plays precisely right, very delicious. Highly recommended."

Incredible Liszt Sonata

Ryan Morris | Chicago, IL | 04/11/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the most intense Liszt Sonata's I have heard, and I have heard quite a few owning somewhere between 30 and 40 and hearing at least that many more. Obviously I adore this piece and find it more than just a young man's barnstorming rite-of-passage. I feel that its best exponents are those who are at that second or third plane of pianism--past mere virtuosic showmanship and yet not too old to physically handicap the performer-kind of the middle ground between Horowitz's 1930 and 1981 recordings.

Some of my favourite performances are Mykola Suk, who's performance before the Liszt Society was hailed as the finest ever by Arrau and Bolet-two pianists who have turned in their own masterful interpretations of the B minor.

This version, as well as the pianist-who has recorded such devilish repertoir as Alkan, turns in one of the more colorful versions I have heard. And I mean colorful--just listen to the effects he creates at the end with the pedal, permitting the harmonies to collide into a unique fascinating cloud. This is something unique to this version alone. I feel that perhaps Sermet's advocacy, or knowledge of Liszt's late works is why this performance has such an intelligent feel to it-a perfect concoction of virtusoity and intelligence.

Bravo---highly recommended."