BaL 13.04.13 - Liszt's Piano Concerto no. 2

[Alison]

Am I allowed to quite like the Second while preferring the First ?

Liszt is a composer I rarely seek out but invariably enjoy when he comes my way.

[Petrushka]

Petrushka - you're normally one of my mentors on these boards where recordings are concerned - quite an extreme dismissal of a concerto which I greatly prefer to Chopin's two efforts, basically piano solos with a bit of orchestration tacked on as an afterthought - the middle movement is lovely. If it was that bad you'd wonder why all these people have bothered to record it, non?

Two versions here - yet another Arrau, with LSO/Colin Davis (1980), and Leslie Howard/Rickenbacker, which as it happens I've recently listened to, it being disc no 97 in the complete Hyperion Liszt piano works which was a Christmas present. I must confess to being a big fan of Liszt, who also occupies a pivotal position in 19th century music.

One of the great things about being on these boards is that you can have long held prejudices overturned when others question them. Perhaps I've not been listening to the right versions. Brendel is one of my favourite musicians and I see he's recorded both PC's with Haitink. There seems to be some powerful advocacy from those I trust on here.

I'll try again.

[visualnickmos]

9.30am Building a Library
Chris de Souza with a personal recommendation from recordings of Liszt's Piano Concerto no.2

Now we're talking!

Julius Katchen with the LPO/Argenta is a fine Decca 'Legends' recording

[Barbirollians]

Am I allowed to quite like the Second while preferring the First ?

Liszt is a composer I rarely seek out but invariably enjoy when he comes my way.

That is now i feel about Liszt too.

Richter/Kondrashin and Brendel/Haitink for me .

[visualnickmos]

Liszt is a composer I rarely seek out but invariably enjoy when he comes my way.

Yes - funny how that happens sometimes. Many years ago Brahms was in that category for me.

[pastoralguy]

In a major serendipity event... What are the chances of that happening?

.

I once bid on a rare cd of Janos Starker and Rudolph Firkusny playing the Martinu 'cello sonatas on eBay. Alas, it went for over £30. Two days later, I walked into the Edinburgh Royal Mile branch of PDSA and go it for £1.50!!

[Nick Armstrong]

In a major serendipity event, my copy of the Brendel Liszt PC's has this very afternoon revealed itself, after a couple of months holiday in a Mahler 4 case it had borrowed. What are the chances of that happening?

Nil, in this house!

[teamsaint]

I once bid on a rare cd of Janos Starker and Rudolph Firkusny playing the Martinu 'cello sonatas on eBay. Alas, it went for over £30. Two days later, I walked into the Edinburgh Royal Mile branch of PDSA and go it for £1.50!!

Brilliant.
And the little cats were £1.50 better off too !!

[pastoralguy]

Brilliant.
And the little cats were £1.50 better off too !!

I was so chuffed I put £2 in the box!

[BBMmk2]

I have the Michelo Beroff recording, the box set of concertante piano music with Kurt Masur. Very good recordings, imo.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Liszt does not appear to particularly admired on this forum. I remain something of a fan for his piano concertos, though I've yet to hear the "3rd".

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Liszt does not appear to particularly admired on this forum. I remain something of a fan for his piano concertos, though I've yet to hear the "3rd".

Well, he's still stirred up more comment than Schumann's exquisite Myrthen

[gurnemanz]

Well, he's still stirred up more comment than Schumann's exquisite Myrthen

I did my valiant bit for Myrthen. I suppose poor old Schumann generally inspired less comment in his lifetime than the more dynamic Liszt (and Mendelssohn).

I'm a late convert to Liszt who at one point I rejected almost completely. I have two good versions of PC2:
Thibaudet, Montreal SO Dutoit and Zimerman, Boston SO, Ozawa

I don't think I will need another one.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I did my valiant bit for Myrthen.

Quite so!

I'm a late convert to Liszt who at one point I rejected almost completely. I have two good versions of PC2:
Thibaudet, Montreal SO Dutoit and Zimerman, Boston SO, Ozawa

I don't think I will need another one.

I used to have Richter, Brendel and Zimmerman, but I found increasingly that the Piano Concertos are Concert pieces for me: I need to see what the performers are doing, and feel the acoustics of a concert hall to enjoy them nowadays. They also have very strong connections with Leeds: the Second was performed (by Witold Malcuzynski with the SNO/Gibson) the very first time I went to Leeds Town Hall; and the First was stunningly played by Ben Frith at a student concert at the University a year or so later (the first time I ever witnessed a piano trembling in fear after the performance! )

[amateur51]

Quite so!


I used to have Richter, Brendel and Zimmerman, but I found increasingly that the Piano Concertos are Concert pieces for me: I need to see what the performers are doing, and feel the acoustics of a concert hall to enjoy them nowadays. They also have very strong connections with Leeds: the Second was performed (by Witold Malcuzynski with the SNO/Gibson) the very first time I went to Leeds Town Hall; and the First was stunningly played by Ben Frith at a student concert at the University a year or so later (the first time I ever witnessed a piano trembling in fear after the performance! )

Good point this concert business ferney I've got the same versions that you have but rarely (ok, never) play them even though I like the pieces.

You were very fortunate seeing Malcuzynski 'in the flesh'; I've not seen Frith recently, isn't he playing in the Gould piano trio these days?