Here’s a Liszt recital
from German record company Musikproduktion
Dabringhaus und Grimm mixing the known
and the relatively unknown.
As yet there is no
definitive directory of all Liszt’s
scores and some degree of caution should
be exercised with catalogue information.
For this review I have for identification
purposes endeavoured to allocate an
appropriate Searle number. Since Humphrey
SearleA compiled a catalogue
of Liszt’s works in 1966, that credits,
"more than 700 compositions"
numerous additional scores have come
to light. This situation is not surprising
as Liszt was so prolific and an inveterate
reviser and transcriber. I have read
of as many as 1,300 scores and consequently
identification can be confusing. As
part of the International Music Score
Library Project, Wikipedia hold a detailed
and invaluable ‘List
of Compositions by Franz Liszt’
that contains additions to Searle’s
1966 list by Sharon Winklhofer and Leslie
Howard. In two sections the list of
Searle numbers (S) run from S.1 - S.350
and S.351 - S.999. It’s an invaluable
tool for Lisztians.
The opening work on
the disc is the Invocation, a
score that appears to be an early version
that was not allocated a Searle number.
This is not the version of Invocation
that lasts over six minutes from the
Harmonies poétiques et religieuses,
S.173; a cycle inspired by Lamartine
and published by Kistner in 1853. Jean-Efflam
Bavouzet packs high drama into the three
short minutes of this version. The Hymne
à la nuit, S173a/1
and the Hymne du matin, S173a/2
together with the two unfinished
works La Lampe du temple and
Litanies de Marie were absent
from published cycle of Harmonies
poétiques et religieuses.
Bavouzet in the Hymne à la
nuit provides an interpretation
that is evocative of reviewing the day’s
events at the end of a long day. The
Hymne du matin is a persuasive
representation of the dawning of a new
day.
In the Wiegenlied (Chant du
berceau or Cradle song),
S.198 I enjoyed the way that Bavouzet
emphasises the harp-like effects. With
Schlaflos! Frage und Antwort,
S.203 the soloist impressively contrasts
agitation, dissonance and poetic sentiments.
The feature work on
this recital is the massive, single
movement Grosses Konzertsolo (Grand
Concert Solo), S.176; a superb score
that deserves to be heard more often.
This work could be described
as Liszt’s prototype for the Piano Sonata,
S178 (1852-53). It seems that the Grosses
Konzertsolo, intended as
a Paris Conservatoire competition piece,
was dedicated to the gifted virtuoso
pianist Adolf Henselt who declared that
he was unable to play it. Liszt sent
the score in 1852 to the Clara Schumann
in the hope of her performing it in
recital, however, she disliked it and
held the opinion that it contained "empty
virtuosity".
Liszt made other versions
of the Grosses Konzertsolo: the
Concerto pathétique, for
two pianos, S.258 (1865) and the Concerto
pathétique, S.365a in the
Liszt/Eduard Reuss version (1885-86).
The publicity leaflet that accompanies
this MDG release claims that this is,
"the recording première
of the Grand Concert Solo in its original
version". Although I do not
have the score to compare each account
note for note I am pretty certain that
this is the same score as the recent
performance of the Grosses Konzertsolo
from soloist Giuseppe Andaloro on
Naxos 8.557814; recorded some months
earlier in March 2005 at the Potton
Hall. Between the Bavouzet and Andaloro
interpretations I found both to have
merit. Bavouzet is rather impetuous,
playing with a blistering, almost frenzied
pace. Whilst Andaloro gives a superb
performance and is not afraid to slow
the tempo right down as he feels appropriate
in an compelling interpretation that
lasts 23 minutes, a full six minutes
longer than Bavouzet.
With the Bagatelle
ohne Tonart the booklet notes refer
to the score as having an alternative
title: the Mephisto Waltz No.4 (and
I have also seen it designated Mephisto
Waltz No.5). The Bagatelle ohne
Tonart, played here by Bavouzet,
is certainly not the same as the work
entitled Mephisto Waltz No. 4,
S696 (1885) on Naxos 8.557814 played
by Andaloro; although the stated timings
are exactly the same. Bavouzet with
considerable nervous energy here communicates
music of a swirling, constantly revolving
character.
It seems that La Notte, S.516a
is the second of Liszt’s Trois
Odes funèbres (Three Funeral
Odes) that were composed between
1860 and 1866. The MDG booklet notes
are rather confusing here as is the
complicated history of La Notte.
Bavouzet is on fine form in the opening
funereal movement. From 3:58 in the
central section the soloist paints a
picture of a glimpse of light – the
dawn of hope. From 7:59 the closing
section is knotty music full of weight.
In the Trauervorspiel
und Trauermarsch, S.206 Bavouzet
provides a macabre feel to the dark
Trauervorspiel. The extended
Trauermarsch is music of a predominantly
trudging and repetitive character that
gradually increases in tempo evoking
threat and anguish. The brief piece
En rêve: Nocturne is
a delightful evocation of a dream-like,
sunlit idyll.
Bavouzet makes a worthy
case for the splendid Kocsis arrangement
of the Vorspiel. It certainly
deserves a place in the repertoire.
I regard Liszt’s magnificent 1867 arrangement
of Isolde's Liebestod, S.447
from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde
as a work of the utmost artistic merit.
Bavouzet provides passion combined with
considerable energy, yet, avoids any
hint of the grandiose.
This is a decent enough
recital disc but not a remarkable one.
The competition is fierce in Liszt’s
solo piano repertoire and there are
many other alternative collections to
choose from. For those Liszt piano music
collectors wanting superbly played and
recorded recitals I can highly recommend
the following two recordings both of
which are performed by the magisterial
Lisztian Jorge Bolet:-
i) Jorge Bolet ‘Favourite
Piano Works’ on a digitally remastered
Double Decca 444 851-2.B
ii) Jorge Bolet ‘Bolet
Discovered’ on RCA Red Seal 82876 63310
2.C
Of the newer recordings,
Naxos have released, as part of their
continuing Liszt series, two excellent
recital discs this year (2007) that
can be recommended:-
iii) Complete
Liszt Piano Music, Vol. 24 played
by Giuseppe Andaloro on Naxos 8.557814
iv) Complete
Liszt Piano Music, Vol. 25, ‘Verdi
Concert Paraphrases and Transcriptions’
played by Alexandre Dossin on Naxos
8.557904.
I enjoyed this Liszt
recital but there are other collections
around that I found more satisfying.
Michael Cookson
Notes:
A‘The Music of Liszt’ by
Humphrey Searle, Dover Publications,
second revised edition (1966)
BJorge Bolet ‘Favourite Piano
Works’ on a digitally remastered Double
Decca 444 851-2. Bolet recorded the
works between 1978-1985, however, the
locations are not given: Liebesträume
No. 3, S541/3; Mephisto Waltz No 1,
S514; Funérailles (Harmonies
poétiques No. 7), S173/7; Réminiscences
de Don Juan, S418; La Campanella (Grand
Paganini Étude No. 3) S141/3;
Die Forelle (after Schubert, D. 550),
S564; Erlkönig (after Schubert,
D. 328d), S558/4; Hungarian Rhapsody
No. 12, S244/12; Consolation No. 3,
S172/3; Sonetto 104 del Petrarca (Années
II/5), S161/5; Les jeux d'eaux à
la Villa d'Este (Années III/4),
S163/4; Au bord d'une source (Années
I/4), S160/4; Gnomenreigen, S145/2;
Un sospiro (Grande études de
concert No. 3), S144/3; Rigoletto concert
paraphrase (after Verdi), S434 &
Piano Sonata in B minor, S178.
CJorge Bolet ‘Bolet Discovered’
on RCA Red Seal 82876 63310 2. The digitally
remastered recordings were made in the
RCA Studio A, New York City, USA in
1972-73: Liebesträume No. 3 in
A flat major, S. 541/3; Gnomenreigen,
S145/2; Un sospiro, S. 144/3; Funérailles,
S.173/7; La Campanella, S. 141/3; Waldesrauschen;
S145; Grand Galop chromatique, S. 219;
Rhapsodie espagnole, S. 254 & Overture
Tannhäuser (after Wagner), S. 442.
see also review
by Colin Clarke
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano) 
