BaL 17.07.21 - Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor

[jayne lee wilson]

A not-so-tangential point - this great B Minor Sonata, like the Liszt Piano Concertos, is part of the obsessive development of one-movement and cyclic forms through the 19thC. Vide the Schubert Wanderer Fantasy, the Schumann 4th Symphony, Mendelssohn Op.12 and Op.13 (and subtler cyclic integrations in the Symphonies); all the way through to the Franck D Minor and the neutron-star compression of the Schoenberg Op.9....

Although (unsurprisingly) an essentially pianistic work, its position and impact reach far beyond the piano repertory itself. Far-reaching and hugely influential.

[Ein Heldenleben]

It's dedicated to Liszt!

Yes indeed ! I’m getting confused with the Beethoven statue appeal the Fantasie was intended to raise money for. I think Liszt never played it in public - wonder why - the dread combination of being way more difficult to play than it sounds?

[Stanfordian]

I wonder if the thirty two Beethoven sonatas , and in particular the last very free works where Beethoven stretched the form to breaking point , meant that other composers like Schumann ,Liszt , Brahms and Chopin just felt they wanted and needed to explore new avenues. Brahms short piano works have , in my view , some of his finest music and most personal intimate expression . The Schumann Fantasie - one of the greatest works of the 19th century - dedicated to Beethoven , impossible to conceive of without him , and yet moving musical expression on. But it’s a remarkably robust form the piano sonata isn’t it with some outstanding 20th century works?

Hello Heldenleben,

I agree the Schumann’s Fantasie in C major, Op. 17 is a great work. Written in 1836, revised in 1839 and dedicated to Franz Liszt.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Hello Heldenleben,

I agree the Schumann’s Fantasie in C major, Op. 17 is a great work. Written in 1836, revised in 1839 and dedicated to Franz Liszt.

Yes thanks and , according to wiki, Liszt later repaid the compliment by dedicating the B minor Sonata to Schumann who by 1853 was sadly in a sanitorium. Clara received a copy in 1854 and never played it in public calling it “merely a blind noise.”

[DoctorT]

Looking forward to this BaL. Liszt has always been one if my blind spots but I’ve been listening to Zimmerman’s recording on Amazon Music and might be tempted

[silvestrione]

A not-so-tangential point - this great B Minor Sonata, like the Liszt Piano Concertos, is part of the obsessive development of one-movement and cyclic forms through the 19thC. Vide the Schubert Wanderer Fantasy, the Schumann 4th Symphony, Mendelssohn Op.12 and Op.13 (and subtler cyclic integrations in the Symphonies); all the way through to the Franck D Minor and the neutron-star compression of the Schoenberg Op.9....

Although (unsurprisingly) an essentially pianistic work, its position and impact reach far beyond the piano repertory itself. Far-reaching and hugely influential.

Yes indeed. The Schubert IMHO is like a kind of prototype, though enjoyable, more of an exercise or experiment. Liszt studied it closely enough to arrange it for piano and orchestra, though I'm rather disappointed that it is just an arrangement, and that he wasn't more adventurous. But he was saving it for his own sonata, I suppose, which is so much more complex (for me) in musical argument, and emotionally.

[Jonathan]

Liszt also arranged the Wanderer Fantasy for 2 pianos but, as far as I can tell, it's never ever been recorded.

[Ein Heldenleben]

In an unusual reversal of things the pre- recorded BAL is studio quality and the live links for the rest of Record review appear to be lo qual internet…

[Goon525]

In an unusual reversal of things the pre- recorded BAL is studio quality and the live links for the rest of Record review appear to be lo qual internet…

Yes, some sound oddities today - AMcG sounded like he’s got a cold until BaL started.

[jch48]

I hope my memory is not playing tricks on me. I'd just passed my driving test and was about to go to Uni and I heard the sonata in Newark played by Brendel and the next night by Curzon in the Albert Hall Nottingham before they put the floor in to make an upstairs concert hall and a separate downstairs.
wrt to recordings I'm sure I'd be happy with most. I have Argerich on that 'debut' disc and I can never get my head around the speed of those LH octaves in the prestissimo near the end.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I wonder whether the sonata , along with the Chopin Etudes , is one of those pieces where the editors razor blade or mouse is heavily used. One of the reasons I’m quite keen on live recordings of this piece.

[Goon525]

I was lucky enough to see Cherkassky live a couple of times, and it was an absolute joy, such personality coming across. But I can’t see his live version being a sensible Library choice, even if it is fun to listen to.

[Bryn]

I wonder whether the sonata , along with the Chopin Etudes , is one of those pieces where the editors razor blade or mouse is heavily used. One of the reasons I’m quite keen on live recordings of this piece.

Prompted by this post, a brief off-topic thought. Far, far too many such edits show up as very scrappily done if looked closely at in a DAW, or even a simple audio editor.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I was lucky enough to see Cherkassky live a couple of times, and it was an absolute joy, such personality coming across. But I can’t see his live version being a sensible Library choice, even if it is fun to listen to.

The master. The days when you could identify a pianist from their playing and “sound”. I think that’s all been trained and tutored out now.

[Alison]

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Not impressed by Freire extracts.

Martha wins I suspect.