Wagner's WHAT?

[Bert Coules]

Did I really hear whoever is presenting Classical Live announce and then back-announce "Liszt's transcription of Wagner's Liebstad"?

[Ein Heldenleben]

You did indeed - it came out as Liebstader . A bit strange as Linton the announcer is a bassoon player and must have played the work a few times . He also described Georgia Mann as “ineffable” - a bit of a double edged epithet that.

Lugansky played it very very well.

He’s now playing his own fiendish sounding arrangement of four scenes from Gotterdamerung. The freedom in his playing is extraordinary. One of the greats …

[smittims]

I can't understand why Linton Stephens keeps referring to Daria Stasevska as 'an icon'. Do icons conduct?

as for Gotterdammerung on the Piano, what a waste of effort. Why not just play the Haitink CD?

[french frank]

He also described Georgia Mann as “ineffable” - a bit of a double edged epithet that.

Yes. Synonym 'unspeakable'.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I can't understand why Linton Stephens keeps referring to Daria Stasevska as 'an icon'. Do icons conduct?

as for Gotterdammerung on the Piano, what a waste of effort. Why not just play the Haitink CD?

Well Liszt and Wagner would disagree with you on the waste of effort as that’s how they heard the piece for years while in composition.
Lugansky bought a freedom of expression and rubato that no conductor could hope to match. Those who heard it say Horowitz’s Wagner score sight reading eclipsed anything they heard in the Opera house .

[Bert Coules]

Lugansky played it very very well...

Yes, he did, though I don't think he (or Liszt?) entirely captured the amazing mixture of the etherial and the ecstatic of the original.

His performance of his own scenes from Götterdämmerung (decisively pronounced without the second umlaut by the presenter) was, I thought, tremendously effective, though it was met by a curiously muted reception from the audience.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yes, he did, though I don't think he (or Liszt?) entirely captured the amazing mixture of the etheric and the ecstatic of the original.

His performance of his own scenes from Götterdämmerung (decisively pronounced without the second umlaut by the presenter) was, I thought, tremendously effective, though it was met by a curiously muted reception from the audience.

Yes - they were privileged to hear a quite extraordinary display of virtuosity and musicianship . I know the Breitkopf and Hartel piano scores quite well. Lugansky’s were a whole order superior - but they appeared to require three hands to play them . Again and again I was asking myself how does he do that ? . Particularly in the final scene with its three simultaneous melodies - all there . That lovely violin figuration in that accompanies the plagal cadences at the end of the Valhalla motif - all there. Even the final Dflat chord so wonderfully orchestrated by RW - beautifully arranged by Lugansky , A master !

[LMcD]

Did I really hear whoever is presenting Classical Live announce and then back-announce "Liszt's transcription of Wagner's Liebstad"?

I heard it as 'Leaberstodd' or possibly 'Leebustod', but in any case it's not the first time he's struggled with a German title, as anybody who heard his recent mangling of 'Rheinlegendchen' will confirm.

[Bert Coules]

...a quite extraordinary display of virtuosity and musicianship.

Agreed! The various vocal score arrangements aren't, of course, intended as pure performance pieces, but Liszt's Wagner transcriptions, which are, seem to me to have met their equal (if not more so) in Lugansky's on today's showing. I would like to hear what he could do with some Tristan.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Agreed! The various vocal score arrangements aren't, of course, intended as pure performance pieces, but Liszt's Wagner transcriptions, which are, seem to me to have met their equal (if not more so) in Lugansky's on today's showing. I would like to hear what he could do with some Tristan.

Lizst’s I guess were written for a different piano - plenty of tremolo which probably worked on lighter action 19th cent pianos. Lugansky relied less on that and more on some very clever deft filling in and arpeggio . The B and H scores are really simplified to about grade 8 plus level whereas Liszt’s make no such allowances.

I wonder if Lugansky has published them. I wonder if he’s even written them down. I would put it past him to semi improvise them off full score.

[Bert Coules]

Lizst’s I guess were written for a different piano - plenty of tremolo which probably worked on lighter action 19th cent pianos.

That's an interesting point, and one which I hadn't considered.

I wonder if Lugansky has published them. I wonder if he’s even written them down. I would put it past him to semi improvise them off full score.

If that is the case, it's an incredible achievement.

[smittims]

Well Heldenleben, I've no doubt Liszt and Wagner would disagree with me on many points. They lived before radio and CDs. I just feel an enormmous amount of work goes into making something that can only be a reflection, when you can have the original at the touch of a button.

[Bert Coules]

...something that can only be a reflection...

Not a reflection; an interpretation.

[Quarky]

Written scores? please see:: https://www.gramophone.co.uk/interna...mad-for-wagner

[Bert Coules]

Written scores? please see:: https://www.gramophone.co.uk/interna...mad-for-wagner

What an absolutely fascinating piece; thanks so much for the link.

There are details of Lugansky's Wagner CD here: https://tinyurl.com/3mnax3b5