What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. X)

Posted by: Richard Dane on 31 December 2013

Posted on: 29 June 2014 by kuma

George,

The only Klemperor Mozart Piano Concerto program I have heard is this bootleg quality No.27 live recording with Haskil. ( '56 recording )

I have to admit that Barenboim anything does not motivate me to dash out and listen but will keep my eyes open for the set.

Klemperer probably sensed that he needs to go an extra mile to make something out of Barenboim as a soloist!

Posted on: 29 June 2014 by George J

Dear Kuma,

I have the Number 27 in that recording. Very strange [but clear] recording, but a volcanic performance, like a lava flow. quite unstoppable and yet never rushed. Truly great collaboration!

I have looked up this amazing Mozart Concert Number 22 in E Flat for you!

Edwin Fischer and VPO at the Salzburg Festival in 1946.

This a legendary recording of a an amazing performance. Listen to the slow movement [but only after the first one, of course] for a delving in the darkest corners of Mozart's psych, and without a hint of unstylish romanticising!

Fischer was an amazingly intuitive musician, who was virtually crippled by his own modesty.

Asked by a pupil [and he was one of the masters whom Brendel studied with among many] what he would have done differently with the chance to start again, Fischer replied that he would have attempted to become a respectable pianist. What he meant was gain a cast iron technique, which he seems occasionally not to have had. He was microphone shy as he hated his own mistakes preserved for posterity, and yet these seem as nothing compared to his sense of musical swing, and warmth, but no false romanticising!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M7mtxfsfuU

ATB from George

PS: I believe that Orfeo had this out on CD some years ago. I heard the broadcast of the disc on Radio Three, and am delighted to find the performance on youtube! Enjoy!

Posted on: 29 June 2014 by matt podniesinski

Posted on: 29 June 2014 by Florestan

Franz Liszt | Franz Schubert: Doppelgänger - Dora Deliyska

There is something about (Georgian and ) Bulgarian pianists and me. We get along just fine and this recording makes me happy.

Well, it is the music that actually makes me happy. But when one finds like-minded souls with yourself (such as Deliyska) who seem to agree on fundamentals with me then it is out of this world and really fulfilling. I have for a long time been connected to this music but sometimes I take a break, which is really important. The time away actually helps one grow with the music in your subconscious. This time around, after maybe 5 years break, I am becoming even more aware of the interplay between the text, the harmonies, the key signature and changes, the rhythm, and the resultant symbolism that evolves from these forces. Schubert knew this obviously and Liszt of course, understood this too and was well aware of how to capitalize on these virtues and shine the veiled light on the many mysteries.

This disc opens with Gretchen am Spinnrade whose text of course is by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The story is about Faust who falls in love with Gretchen and the music only covers Gretchen’s thoughts while sitting at a spinning wheel. The stage is set with the opening stanza “Meine Ruh is hin, Mein Herz ist schwer, Ich finde sie nimmer, Und nimmermehr (My peace is gone, My heart is heavy, I will find it never, and never more.)

So, knowing this, when you hear some hotshot fly through this piece it means that player does not understand the frame of mind here (nor do the listeners who only are impressed by fast fingers.) Schubert marked this Nicht zu geschwind and Liszt in a similar fashion uses the Italian equivalent Non troppo Allegro – both mean “not too fast.”

This work is written in rondo form which means the main theme is repeated throughout between alternate or contrasting themes and is represented by A B A C A D A etc. I mention this because I think it is very symbolic in how her story or thinking is represented through the music. The A portion might represent her literal waking thoughts while the alternate sections are more of her otherworldly dreams and visions. These contrasts are also represented by key changes. From the start, Schubert takes us from d-minor to C-major which is quite dissonant really, for instance.

For myself in playing this piece I would say after understanding what is going on (the interpretation) the hardest aspect to accomplish is the rhythmic complexity. Of course the continual semiquavers represents the spinning wheel turning but the clicks and the up and down of the pedal (on a spinning wheel) is represented with the occasional quavers (4 per bar) as the lowest notes.

What is most important (to me, anyway) is what Liszt does with the rhythm that goes beyond the true Schubert score. Not 100% of the time but maybe 80% he delays the speaking voice on the main beat. If you didn’t have the score you probably wouldn’t know this as you might easily think the player might be just adding in a hint of rubato or the like. It is also amazing how many players miss this (hearing the affect anyway). It is very difficult to play this well and effectively but I think the essence of it is brilliant with untold symbolism portraying the state of mind of our Gretchen and unrequited love.

Just a note that this disc / recording is much better than any youtube of Deliyska with this music. Other notables would be Naum Shtarkman, Lazar Berman, Evgeny Kissin.

This disc ends with the Erlkönig which is probably one of the most popular lieder. Again, much can be said about this story and the symbolism portrayed through the music. Based on another poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe which tells this story involving four characters: the Narrator, the Father, the Son, and the Erlkönig. The son dies in the end in spite of his pleas to his father for help. What is important to realize is that the Narrator always speaks in the middle range of voice in a minor key, the Father sings in the lowest voice in both major and minor mode, the Son sings in the highest voice only in the minor mode, and the Erlkönig’s vocal line is in the major mode only and is always pianissimo and light. Often marked as something like leggiero amorosamente which is interesting in how this characteristic is not typically of someone you should be afraid of – oh the irony.

So this is what you need to listen for in this music – the different characters and there unique voices. What is revolting is how many pianists start this piece off with a bang and maintain that until the end. When I play this (even on a slow reading) you can feel the difference just in how it is scored how each character should sound. The truth is the faster you play this the more likely you will lose the ability to play softly (as this is a supremely difficult piece physically to play so playing fast is like a right of passage to the athletes among us flexing their muscles). This piece should be relatively quiet with contrasts of forte, mezzo-forte, piano and pianissimo until near the end when all “hell” does and should break out. This is then effective story telling and adds to the mystery and suspense.

The deeper I get into this music the more beautiful and astounding it becomes to me. Now back to the piano for some Der Leiermann, Du bist die Ruh, and Litanei auf das Fest Aller Seelen. Every one is perfection.

https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...15#35920103587137015

https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...48#36342540921322948

Posted on: 29 June 2014 by matt podniesinski

Posted on: 29 June 2014 by Haim Ronen

Posted on: 29 June 2014 by kuma

George,

Thanks for the link. That is a nicely done bold interpretation of a No.22. I wasn't quite expecting that. At first he reminded me of Backhaus a little ( more so than Haskil for sure ) but he adds more romantic flair. I don't know who the conductor is but the orchestra is nice, too. Neither Brendel or Barenboim never get daring like that do they?