Search - Franz Liszt, Marc-Andre Hamelin :: Marc-André Hamelin plays Liszt

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Mauro Guzzo Decca | São Paulo, Brazil. | 03/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I guess it's time for Hamelin to quit playing the piano before he makes all other pianists, past and present, look like clumsy amateurs. I think Hamelin is a mean person who should be arrested for murdering the reputation of the most cherished piano legends. Someone please stop this man!"

Too Technically Immaculate for its Own Good

C. Pontus T. | SE/Asia | 08/29/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Playing the piano isn't easy. 'Really, for sure (as one wouldn't know!)?' Yes, definitely for sure. Playing Bach and Beethoven isn't easy--playing Ravel and Messiaen even more so--playing Scriabin and Rachmaninov yet even more so--but perhaps the most difficult composers to play are Chopin and Liszt. 'Why is that?' Because their music is so masterfully composed with such immaculate understanding of the instrument. I would assert that throwing a Chopin or Liszt Etude or Ballade is the ultimate calling card to verify whether or not we're dealing with an accomplished pianist.



In recent years, it has been increasingly acknowledged that Marc-Andre Hamelin probably is the overall most accomplished pianist currently alive--technically as well interpretatively. 'Why then has it taken such time for people to pick that up--or even more to the point, why are there still so many allegedly learned musical people who refuse to recognise it?' Well, my guess is the reason being the fact that Hamelin has focused almost exclusively on lesser-known works and composers, often so technically demanding that few other pianists have bothered even trying, hence, limiting the material for comparisons. 'Any examples?' Try any of his Alkan, Godowsky or Medtner and you will instantly know.



Against that background, this Liszt recital from 1996 is all the more welcome. I think I'll just spell it out for you right away: I don't think there is any other living (or dead) pianist that can play Liszt like this--at least I haven't been able find any evidence pointing in any other direction. 'Can you elaborate, please.' Well, I haven't heard any other pianist being able to negotiate all the myriad notes Liszt throw at the performer with such complete and unforced ease. 'But his interpretations are not as profound as the likes of Arrau, Berman or Bolet!' Wrong again, they are actually even more profound as Hamelin, by simple logic, finds himself more relative room to bring out the profoundness of the interpretations. 'But his 13th Hungarian Rhapsody is more boring than Cziffra's!' Yes, indeed it is--until reaching the Vivace section, which is boiling and sparkling like no other version. As a matter of fact, virtually every single performance on this CD sets new standards--most notably so Waldesrauschen, Un Sospiro, the 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody and probably most of all Reminiscences de Don Juan.



All-in-all, here you have amongst the most consummate Liszt playing imaginable--so good that it sort of makes some people alienated or perhaps envious. At least, that's a way of trying to understand such silly labels like 'Focused on Virtuosity', 'the glass is half empty', 'Brilliant but flawed' or 'Technically superb, musically moribund'. All the same, these are better just ignored as they rather reflect shortcomings in the respective reviewers rather than this recording.



The Wigmore Hall recording leaves little to be desired. 'But 62:37 is short measure these days!' Then, jump right into Hamelin's bonus cadenza for the 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody and you'll find yourself gasping, jaw-dropping and cheering for another 10 or 15 minutes. Rest assured that you won't find higher pleasurable returns per invested unit of money than this Liszt recital."

Ten pianists in just one!

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 10/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't hesitate to label Marc Andre Hamelin as one of the most notable exponents of the keyboard (and in my personal view, among the ten twelve major pianists of the world at this moment).



He is gifted with a sidereal technique, he posseses refinement, imagination and that Dyonisian spirit so desirable but almost extinguished in most of pianists actually.



In musical terms he might be regarded as an accurate blend of Joseph Hoffman, Louis Kentner and Earl Wild.



These performances are hovered by a magnificent touch of mercurial energy, charm, grace, expressiveness and profound lyric effluvium. Just a few pianists are so capable to play such sforzanods with such brutal of expresson on the left hand. Those low bars emind me to Nyireghihazi, and that's far beyond a simple emotional statement.



So, in case you are looking for for a Liszt played with fertile imagination, supreme good taste and unerring temperament, go for this CD. It will reward you!"