RECORDING OF THE MONTH     CHOPIN Waltzes and Impromptus Vladimir Feltsman £11 post free World-wide VIVALDI The four seasons London Mozart Players/Juritz £12 post free World-wide BEETHOVEN Symphonies 4 and 5 LSO/Yondani Butt £12 post free World-wide

AVAILABILITY Bartok Records

Franz LISZT (1811-1886) Variations on ‘Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen’, S180 (1862) [16’20]. Weihnachtsbaum, S186 (1874-76) [17’30]: An old Christmas Carol; Scherzoso; Carillon; Ancient Provençal Christmas Carol; Evening Bells; Formerly; In the Polish Manner. Béla BARTÓK (1881-1945) Three Rondos, Sz84 (1916-27) [7’15]. Sonatina, Sz55 (1915) [4’35]. For Children, Sz42 (excerpts) (1908-09) [6’40]. Ilona Kabos (piano). Rec. in New York Town Hall in 1952. ADD BARTÓK RECORDS BR1910 [52’00]

Ilona Kabos was born in Budapest in 1893 and died in London in 1973. The works on the present disc post-date her critically well-received American debut by one year and reveal a mature artist at the height of her powers. Indeed, this is treasurable Liszt playing – a truly virtuoso technique allied with real devotion to the spirit of the music at hand. This disc deserves wide currency. The famous Variations on ‘Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen’ represent Liszt at his most monumental. Kabos seems to have complete identification with this composer. The virtuoso outburst around 6’30 in appears here as an integral part of the musical argument. As the reading progresses, it becomes obvious that Kabos feels close to Liszt’s darker side (one can hear this most clearly, possibly, around the 11-12 minute mark). The ominous low sonorities at around 12’25 reveal further evidence of this, giving a massive quality to the climax and putting the very interior, intimate chorale at 13’10 into high relief. Furthermore, the recording copes supremely well with the extremes of dynamic range, whole at the same time containing a real warmth. Weihnachtsbaum is a work replete with delights, yet there appears to be no really outstanding version in the catalogues right now. Kabos’s response is at once keen and intimate. The ‘Scherzoso’ reveals cheeky staccato, retaining the tone of each and every note; The ‘Old Christmas Carol’ (the first excerpt) begins like ‘O come, all ye faithful’, but then intriguingly steers away. Very sweet and unmistakably Liszt, Kabos’s voice-leading in the middle section is a dream. She is able to conjure up real peace, yet finishes the set with an extrovert ‘In the Polish manner’. Clearly Bartók was another composer close to Kabos’s heart. The Three Rondos, Sz84 reveal a mature interpreter at work. In the eloquent simplicity of the very opening of the first, Kabos reveals herself to be a more mature Bartók player than June de Toth, whose recent set on Eroica Records pales in comparison. The second Rondo is more incisive, more biting yet barer, and Kabos plays up its modernism. In fact the final two Rondos share a common language (the third in ‘barbaro’ even when subdued). The popular, short Sonatina is distinguished particularly for the poignancy Kabos brings to the first movement, and she realises all the charm of the excerpts from For Children, which include a music-box impression and, as played here, much delicacy. A highly enjoyable collection and a fitting memorial to an artist to be reckoned with. Colin Clarke   Advertising Rates Visitor stats MusicWeb International has over 40,000 Classical CD reviews on offer Discs received Having a problem Donating? Gerard Hoffnung Concerts & The Bricklayer Story   New Releases New Releases   MusicWeb sells the Polish catalogue CDAccord £10.50 post free W-W MusicWeb sells the Arcodiva catalogue £12.00 post free W-W £11.75 post-free world- wide MusicWeb can now offer you discs from the following catalogues: Prices include postage [Acte Préalable £13.50] [Arcodiva £12.00] [Avie from £6.25] [British Music Society £12.00] [CDACCORD from £13.50 ] [ClassicO £12.50] [Hallé from £11] [Heritage £10] [Hortus £14.99 ] [Lyrita ONLY £11.75 ] [Nimbus Special prices] [Northern Flowers £13.50] [REDCLIFFE £11 ] [Sheva £11] [Tactus £11.50 ] [Talent from £12.00 ] [Toccata Classics £10.50 ] Musicweb Special Offers Monthly Best Buys     Google Ads - for information about privacy matters, click here.  Amazon Musicweb International is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

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