BaL 22nd October2011 - Liszt's Piano Sonata in B minor

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It's a favourite work of mine that I believe is a true Liszt masterwork.

I was very disappointed with the presenter who sounded amazingly uninterested and uninteresting; not a voice for radio I'm afraid.

Somebody else said that they found his presentation dull. It didn't occur so to me; once I'd got used to his accent (a couple of sentences in) I thought he presented admirably, with a commendable lack of Breakfast-style "chumminess", but with a gentle humour and involvement in what he was saying.

[He] didn’t seem to grasp that the objective of the programme that was to select a version as a recommendation.

Again, I cannot agree with this: he very clearly selected Stephen Hough's Hyperion recording.

I remain a firm advocate of Jorge Bolet’s 1982 Kingsway Hall, London interpretation

- not my favourite recording, but one I have treasured since it first came out. And thanks for the "pointer" to the Pollini - one of my favourite artists, this Liszt performance somehow slipped "under my radar".

Best Wishes.

[Don Petter]

However I was very disappointed with the presenter who sounded amazingly uninterested and uninteresting; not a voice for radio I'm afraid. It was almost as if he had been walking past the BBC Studios and someone had grabbed him off the street. Sorry but that is how he came across to me.

I don't want to harp on this aspect, but that is just what I thought, and why I said it was as if he was reading somebody else's script which he had never seen before.

[Nick Armstrong]

magnificent 1989 Herkulessaal, Munich performance from Maurizio Pollini played with such warmth and affection, and a deep concentration. Complete with an impressive sound quality Pollini’s account is on Deutsche Grammophon 427 322-2.

This is the only performance I have on disc. I'm glad someone has given it the thumbs up, there must be a reason why I bought it. I'm tempted to add Mr Hough but not enough to have actually done so given that I have probably listened to Pollini twice in 15 years....

PS I do find Kenneth Hamilton's drawl rather wearing and hard to listen to, but didn't detect any want of commitment to his subject. I think it's just the effect of that particular Scottish inflection with the upturned ends to sentences which sound like what is now thought of as an Aussie quirk (technically I think called a "high rising terminal" )

[Don Petter]

PS I do find Kenneth Hamilton's drawl rather wearing and hard to listen to, but didn't detect any want of commitment to his subject. I think it's just the effect of that particular Scottish inflection with the upturned ends to sentences which sound like what is now thought of as an Aussie quirk (technically I think called a "high rising terminal" )

Sort of Prestwick rather than Gatwick?

[Nick Armstrong]

Sort of Prestwick rather than Gatwick?

[vinteuil]

... I do find Kenneth Hamilton's drawl rather wearing and hard to listen to, but didn't detect any want of commitment to his subject. I think it's just the effect of that particular Scottish inflection ...

After a couple of sentences attuning myself to his accent, I found him an excellent speaker - and I completely agree with Ferneyhiccuplover -

Somebody else said that they found his presentation dull. It didn't occur so to me; once I'd got used to his accent (a couple of sentences in) I thought he presented admirably, with a commendable lack of Breakfast-style "chumminess", but with a gentle humour and involvement in what he was saying.

He knew his stuff, and conveyed his enthusiasm and discernment.

[Alison]

I do urge Benjamin Grosvenor and Decca to record the Sonata.

He'd probably beat the lot of them.

[Stanfordian]

I do urge Benjamin Grosvenor and Decca to record the Sonata.

He'd probably beat the lot of them.

Hello Alison I saw Benjamin Grosevenor play in a local recital around 3 years ago. I also watched him play at this year's proms and it was fasinating to watch his progress. I think he is very promising player. But I don't think he's ready to smash the Liszt soata just yet.