Notes and Editorial Reviews
LISZT
Piano Concertos: No. 1 in E?; No. 2 in A.
Totentanz
•
Nelson Freire (pn); Michel Plasson, cond; Dresden P
•
BRILLIANT 93846 (52:47)
Rehearing these performances a dozen years on, my initial reaction (see
Fanfare
19:4) stands: “With Plasson hand-in-glove, Freire takes everything with an ease which skims airily, mercurially through Liszt’s fantasy—a performance not unlike many other fine, and some great, ones in its heroic
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dash set off by lambent lyricism, but distinguished by consistent effervescence. Even the Second Concerto’s march-like
allegro decisio
episode is, without holding back, managed with such finesse that it seems of a piece with what has gone before rather the usual vulgar eruption.” Amid the ongoing plethora of the Big Three—the concertos and
Totentanz
—in recorded performances, this 1994 tilt is a standout, a refreshment. Sound is concert hall (actually, the Lukaskirche, Dresden) panoramic, but still packing plenty of punch: spacious, yet detailed. Recommended.
FANFARE: Adrian Corleonis
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Works on This Recording
1.
Concerto for Piano no 1 in E flat major, S 124 by Franz Liszt
Performer:
Nelson Freire (Piano)
Conductor:
Michel Plasson
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1849/1856; Weimar, Germany
2.
Concerto for Piano no 2 in A major, S 125 by Franz Liszt
Performer:
Nelson Freire (Piano)
Conductor:
Michel Plasson
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1839/1861; Weimar, Germany
3.
Totentanz, S 126 by Franz Liszt
Performer:
Nelson Freire (Piano)
Conductor:
Michel Plasson
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1849/1859; Weimar, Germany
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: 
( 1 Customer Review )
Hearing is believing June 11, 2012
By Panayotis Pizanis (East Lansing, MI) See All My Reviews
"This is a stunning performance of the Liszt piano concerti, and as if that was not enough we get a Totentanz bonus, which alone would be worth the price of this CD. Pianist and orchestra are so beautifully fused together, that they hit all the right nerves, making the genius of Liszt emerge all the more astounding. This is definitely a must 'desert island' companion for any serious music library."
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