Thread: Current Listening Vol VII

Veronique Gens with John Axelrod leading the Orchestre national des Pays de la Loire in music by Berlioz and Ravel:


Hector Berlioz:
Herminie
Les Nuits d'ete
Maurice Ravel:
Sheherazade

Liszt

Benjamin Grosvenor (piano)



Gramophone Magazine March 2021

An ideal Liszt Sonata performance requires transcendental virtuosity, prodigious colouristic resources, a sense of drama and narrative flow and a gift for fusing both architecture and passion. Benjamin Grosvenor’s interpretation embodies these qualities and then some...One may miss Arrau’s golden-toned largesse or the gaunter classicism of Fleisher, Curzon and Brendel, yet Grosvenor’s Liszt Sonata clearly belongs in such company.

Originally Posted by Rogerx

Liszt

Benjamin Grosvenor (piano)



Gramophone Magazine March 2021

An ideal Liszt Sonata performance requires transcendental virtuosity, prodigious colouristic resources, a sense of drama and narrative flow and a gift for fusing both architecture and passion. Benjamin Grosvenor’s interpretation embodies these qualities and then some...One may miss Arrau’s golden-toned largesse or the gaunter classicism of Fleisher, Curzon and Brendel, yet Grosvenor’s Liszt Sonata clearly belongs in such company.

I listened to this recording last week and was not impressed. Since 2015 I've listened to every recording of the Liszt sonata available, at last count 287. I trust my ears more than this reviewer. Grosvenor's playing was sloppy in places, and bland in others, overall a mediocre performance.

And the reviewer did not mention the pianists who have really nailed this work:

Krystian ZIMERMAN
Martha ARGERICH
Marc-André HAMELIN
Louis LORTIE
Jorge BOLET [1]
Dezsö RÁNKI [1]
Jorge BOLET [3]
Nikolai DEMIDENKO
Sviatislav RICHTER [1] (Carnegie Hall)
Vladimir HOROWITZ [1]

The numbers in brackets indicate which of multiple recordings by a pianist.

There is another new recording of the B Minor Sonata, by Vladimir Skomorokhov - it is superior to Grosvenor.

liszt piano sonata vladimor skomorokhov.jpg

[QUOTE=SanAntone;2024273]I listened to this recording last week and was not impressed. Since 2015 I've listened to every recording of the Liszt sonata available, at last count 287. I trust my ears more than this reviewer. Grosvenor's playing was sloppy in places, and bland in others, overall a mediocre performance.

And the reviewer did not mention the pianists who have really nailed this work:

Krystian ZIMERMAN
Martha ARGERICH
Marc-André HAMELIN
Louis LORTIE
Jorge BOLET [1]
Dezsö RÁNKI [1]
Jorge BOLET [3]
Nikolai DEMIDENKO
Sviatislav RICHTER [1] (Carnegie Hall)
Vladimir HOROWITZ [1]

The numbers in brackets indicate which of multiple recordings by a pianist.

There is another new recording of the B Minor Sonata, by Vladimir Skomorokhov - it is superior to Grosvenor.


In my world Only Pogorelich is lonely at the top but..... this is also good In a room full of love .

Britten - Songs

Ian Bostridge (tenor) & Graham Johnson (piano)

Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 3 in E-flat major Op. 29/Piano Concerto No. 5 in F major, Op. 103 'Egyptian'


Jean-Philippe Collard (piano)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
André Previn
Recorded: 1986-09-13
Recording Venue: 12 & 13 September 1986, No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London.

Early start with Barbirolli and the Halle perfroming two of my long term favourite works by Sibelius....

Karelia Suite and Symphony no.5

R-9143797-1475525927-2243.jpeg.jpg

First time hearing this.

Jan Ladislav Dussek: Messe Solemnelle

Stefanie True (soprano), Helen Charlston (mezzo-soprano), Gwilym Bowen (tenor), Morgan Pearse (bass), Choir of the AAM, Academy of Ancient Music, Richard Egarr

Originally Posted by jim prideaux

Early start with Barbirolli and the Halle perfroming two of my long term favourite works by Sibelius....

Karelia Suite and Symphony no.5

And on to Pelleas and Melisande.....