# Liszt set by Hyperion



## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

How many of you own the Liszt set by Hyperion? I have the complete set and adore it! I think Howard does an outstanding job with all of the works and his liner notes are worthy of a hardback version. I would say that the set as a whole be counted as one of the most important in recorded history due to it's completion and effort.
Even some of the small fragments are delightful.
Liszt had some duds like all composers (sorry Lisztfreak) but most are outstanding and influential to generations of pianists.

Now if Hyperion would sell the set at a mid price range. Make it available to a wider audience like they did with the Schubert Lieder set.

Thoughts?

Jim


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## ecg_fa (Nov 10, 2008)

How many of you own the Liszt set by Hyperion? I have the complete set and adore it! I think Howard does an outstanding job with all of the works and his liner notes are worthy of a hardback version. I would say that the set as a whole be counted as one of the most important in recorded history due to it's completion and effort.


**Glad to see this mentioned!! . I'm amazed you have ALL those recordings-- wow, must be about 60 or something!!! I have a few (without checking-- the 'Annees de Pelerinages--couple of those,' 'Grandes Etudes,' 'Sonatas & elegies' & one other-- maybe 'Transcendental
Etudes'). I agree that Howard does a fine job-- really helped me in some ways reveal how many sides to Liszt there are!! I like many people playing Liszt (Argerich & Jean Yves-Thibaudet come to mind-- also on Hyperion Steven Osborne's recording of 'Harmonies Poetiques & Religieuses'). But Shelley really amazing as specialist. 

Ed


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## Edmond-Dantes (Mar 20, 2009)

No, actually. I don't have it, but I just don't think I can buy any more liszts. ^^;;; I have WAY too many recordings of Lizsts. lol Truly, he is an inspiration to every pianist....


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## Lisztfreak (Jan 4, 2007)

handlebar said:


> Liszt had some duds like all composers (sorry Lisztfreak) but most are outstanding and influential to generations of pianists.


No hard feelings, Jim. Of course he had. Some pieces may be considered outright cheap. Others, however, have to be a part of any serious romantic collection.

I'm a bit ashamed to say so, but I have not a single recording from that collection. Szidon, Vasáry, Pollini, Cziffra, Kocsis and Brendel have till now been sufficient for me. Plus I've heard Howard gets boring and machine-like sometimes. Wouldn't go as far as to say that, but I've heard some of his playing on Youtube - it does seem a bit too slow in the etudes.


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

Th etudes do have a bit of a slow pace. Not to all peoples liking but they are adequate. The sonata and Rhapsodies are wonderful and I adore his recordings of the Romances.
Any complete set is going to be a bit varied in it's content. But all in all, I feel this will be a set I return to often.

Jim


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## Herzeleide (Feb 25, 2008)

handlebar said:


> How many of you own the Liszt set by Hyperion? I have the complete set and adore it!


Major jealousy on my behalf!

Some day, when I have lots more money...

Though one of the problems I find with Liszt is that his piano music is often abused by pianists. For instance, my favourite piece of his, _Bénédiction de Dieu dans la Solitude_, ought to be twenty-ish minutes long (as played by Kun Woo Paik - undoubtedly the best version) but most pianists shave minutes off that, and play this gorgeous, lyrical and mystical music, far too swiftly.


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

Herzeleide said:


> Though one of the problems I find with Liszt is that his piano music is often abused by pianists. For instance, my favourite piece of his, _Bénédiction de Dieu dans la Solitude_, ought to be twenty-ish minutes long (as played by Kun Woo Paik - undoubtedly the best version) but most pianists shave minutes off that, and play this gorgeous, lyrical and mystical music, far too swiftly.


This piece is a sheer delight!! I have always thought of it as a truly meditative work.
Andre Bonatta on Astree does this piece well too.

Jim


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## Herzeleide (Feb 25, 2008)

handlebar said:


> This piece is a sheer delight!! I have always thought of it as a truly meditative work.
> Andre Bonatta on Astree does this piece well too.
> 
> Jim


Thanks for the recommendation.

Yes - it's ineffably beautiful. Extremely original too.


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## Lisztfreak (Jan 4, 2007)

Herzeleide said:


> Though one of the problems I find with Liszt is that his piano music is often abused by pianists. For instance, my favourite piece of his, _Bénédiction de Dieu dans la Solitude_, ought to be twenty-ish minutes long (as played by Kun Woo Paik - undoubtedly the best version) but most pianists shave minutes off that, and play this gorgeous, lyrical and mystical music, far too swiftly.


True. Take the concertos, for example - especially No.1. There seems to be a contest between pianists to perform it as fast as possible. Which I hate. All the expression disappears. I'll always rather hear a slower version than a faster one, because expressiveness is more important than flash - not just in Liszt, all music. The etudes are the only exception, but of course I don't want them _prestissimo possibile_.


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

Lisztfreak said:


> True. Take the concertos, for example - especially No.1. There seems to be a contest between pianists to perform it as fast as possible. Which I hate. All the expression disappears. I'll always rather hear a slower version than a faster one, because expressiveness is more important than flash - not just in Liszt, all music. The etudes are the only exception, but of course I don't want them _prestissimo possibile_.


This is where I find the Zimerman/Ozawa recording shines. The tempo is spot on and the sonics fine.

Jim


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## blays (Apr 19, 2009)

I have a couple of the Howard CDs. I like his mephisto waltzes, more than Arrau's. On the other hand the Opera Transciptions are more captivating when played by Arrau. I'd quite like to hear Pollini or Cziffra play Liszt.
The complete Transcendental Etudes I have only heard from Howard, with the exception of the Feux Follets and the untitled ones by Lugansky. I heard Lazar Berman play the first 7, and really didn't like it, but it was partly because of the recording (but partly bad execution).


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

When it comes to the Sonata, I prefer Horowitz or Arrau and also Howard. So many pianists have recorded it and so the list is quite long. But modern day recordings are technically astounding. It used to be tough for a pianist to record the Liszt Sonata back in the late 19th/early 20th century due to technical prowess. But now the pianists seem to tackle it with no problem. They just don't have the colour or love of the piece. They seem blah and luke warm. No feeling.

Jim


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## stevenski (Oct 19, 2011)

Funerailles, Benediction de la Dieu; after all these years, Liszt's solo piano music is growing on me; it is SO experimental, harmonically especially. I really like Ponti's mad, nervile,on-the-edge interpretations, eg on Dante live recordings and the Marco Polo "Transcendental Studies". Any afficianadoes of Ponti , generally, out there?Steve


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

I recently got a 5-CD set of Liszt's complete organ works. I like it, especially as a break from Bach's organ. As far as pianists, I have been listening to Yvgeny Kissin on RCA, I think he does a fine job. Horowitz always delivers. The Russian Piano School series has interesting versions. 
Liszt seems to be kept at arm's length by most, even the believers. Is he to be embraced only by fringe specialists, as Wagnerites embrace their hero? It should not be. I have even heard the _symphonic poem_ form castigated.

What is the problem with Liszt? Is he to suffer the same fate as Mozart by uncomprehending critics who have not pondered long enough?


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## Blake (Nov 6, 2013)

I've been meaning to dive into Liszt for too long now. Any must have recordings?


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## stevenski (Oct 19, 2011)

Kentner, Ponti, Brendel


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## tovaris (Aug 28, 2012)

I like the Jorge Bolet set and the Rhapsodies by Cziffra. Also Naxos has a recording with late Liszt pieces. I believe it's vol.1


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

millionrainbows said:


> I recently got a 5-CD set of Liszt's complete organ works. I like it, especially as a break from Bach's organ. As far as pianists, I have been listening to Yvgeny Kissin on RCA, I think he does a fine job. Horowitz always delivers. The Russian Piano School series has interesting versions.
> Liszt seems to be kept at arm's length by most, even the believers. Is he to be embraced only by fringe specialists, as Wagnerites embrace their hero? It should not be. I have even heard the _symphonic poem_ form castigated.
> 
> What is the problem with Liszt? Is he to suffer the same fate as Mozart by uncomprehending critics who have not pondered long enough?


Yes,your comment about uncomprehending critics is spot on and in some quarters it is fashionable to knock Liszt.
But the people in normal life who do this usually turn out to have heard some Hungarian Rhapsodies and little else.
If you investigate Liszt you will usually be captivated and just look at the pianists who have played him, From Arrau to Wilhelm Kempff, Cortot, Brendel,Clifford Curzon, Egon Petri,Shura Cherkassky Richter, van Cliburn, etc,etc.
The majority of pianists that I've met think most highly of him.


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