# Franz Liszt's Piano Concerto #3



## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

Franz Liszt wrote two completed piano concerti (that we know of), and there was a third, which was apparently incomplete, but completed/assembled in modern times by academics, if I am not wrong. It seems #3 was composed *before* #1 and #2, or not?

Any Liszt fans out there who know about #3, share some light here about it and recommend a fine recording or two?


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Yes, its story is a bit complicated, since it seems to have been written 1836-39, which was later than the two first concerti, but they were revised and finished later on, whereas the 3rd wasn´t, though some other people reconstructed it for its present use.

I have the Leslie Howard recording on hyperion. It is a short work lasting 14mins; the soloist plays well here, whereas his rendering of the other concertante works is less valuable. The orchestra, mainly busy with some ritual and modest accompanying, does an OK job, but they are rather heavy. 

Unfortunately it is one of Liszt´s really poor works, not as good as the Cti 1+2. There is nothing spectacular in it, there are some lyrical dreamy passages that are nice, but its very conventional, and the faster, predictably march-like last sections are simply banal IMO, though people´s taste differ ... 

For some other, lesser known Liszt piano concertante works, I´d vastly prefer the "Totentanz/Dance Macabre" (Berezovsky, Freire or Michelangeli recordings; also, Argerich is available on you-tube), the "Malediction" (early Brendel recording, for instance), or the "Hungarian Phantasy".

Rarely heard but great Liszt works are: the Christus Oratorio; Via Crucis; La Lugubre Gondola I-II for piano; Psalm 13 for Barytone, Choir & Orchestra, the Lieder, cello & piano works - to mention some.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

> For some other, lesser known Liszt piano concertante works, I´d vastly prefer the "Totentanz/Dance Macabre"


What? Do you consider Totentanz lesser known? It's much more popular than his "real" concertos which are not well known and popular at all. And it's too bad.

I agree that of the three concertos no. 3 is last one to listen, for some it will probably remain curiosity.

I have Lassie Howard and another one by Stephen Meyer. Howard is Liszt expert so there is no dillema which to choose.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Totentanz/Dance Macabre was neglected until recent decades, when for instance Raymond Lewenthal made one of the first pioneering recordings in his "rediscovery the romantics series". If you look across the history of recorded Liszt, the concerti 1+2 have been recorded at least three times more. Am quite sure the same applies to concert programmes.
Anyway we agree that Liszt deserves to be better known, beyond the same old stuff always played ...


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Perhaps, but since I belong to younger generation littlely concerned with such histories I can say that Totentanz is almost as popular as Liebestraum and famous Rhapsody. It's extremely tuneful + it's "dark" character makes it must-be on typical wannabe classical listener metalhead's top "songs" list. 

And concertos? There are indeed recording by leading pianists like Argerich and Zimerman but are they nearly as popular as those by Brahms, Beethoven? Chopin? Surely not, just try to find any discussion about them here, on this forum.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

The lack of discussion is mainly due to the low prestige of the composer, representing to many - and unjustly - the image of the vulgar, tasteless romantic, rejected by modernism. Moreover, he was miserably unlucky that the Nazis used "Les Preludes" as their theme music in film journals.

There are dozens of recordings, by Berman, Richter, Rubinstein, Brendel, Argerich, Arrau, Cziffra etc. I prefer Richter/Kondrashin & the early Rubinstein/Dorati recording in no.1, Richter/Kondrashin & Arrau/Cantelli in no.2. Dull/average performances tend to minimize the experience of these often fine works.

Agree that the Totentanz has gained more attention recently, which is all-right with me. Better that than Mendelssohn or Ferdinand Hiller, for instance; classical music could need a bit of _Shakin_´_Stevens_ or _Nina Hagen _now and then ...


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

> The lack of discussion is mainly due to the low prestige of the composer, representing to many - and unjustly - the image of the vulgar, tasteless romantic, rejected by modernism.


Yes, definitely unjustly. I can't see any other reason of unpopularity of these works than people being scared off by this stereotyphe - it's hard for romantic period lover not to enjoy these works full of both passion and lyricism, surely not superficial or shallow.

As for recordings, recording by Zimerman/Ozawa has stunning sound and everything is played splendidly + it contains everything, both concertos and Totentanz:


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

Thanks for the advice. Piano concerti #1, #2 and _Totentanz_ are often bundled together on the one CD, which is what I have. As for #3, I'll probably take the Leslie Howard then.

If you want a real good Christmas party trivia question, then ask: "How many operas did Franz Liszt write"? 

I think Liszt needs to be pushed up further amongst all the greats when it comes to non-solo piano works. I mean everyone here has heard of "Franz Liszt" but really, many of Liszt's larger scale works are not that well known at all.


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