Jorge Bolet plays Liszt Ballade in B minor finale

[sfash6z]

I've only recently discovered Jorge Bolet and come to believe that he has a particular affinity to Liszt . Liszt produced a great variety of works and can sound a bit lacking in depth in the wrong hands. I've listened to Bolet play a range of Liszt and I think that he makes the composer consistently listenable. This particular rendition of the B minor ballade is wonderful.

[DanielM647]

One of the greatest pianist of the XX century. Rest in peace Jorge.

Daniel Morales

[skimask777]

Jorge Bplet and Earl Wild brings true life out of this work.

[virtuoso691]

Liszt's works are not usually cataloged by opus numbers. Just search for "Liszt Ballade No. 2 in B Minor." There are many editions of the score readily available.

[krasivatweety]

Which op. and no. is this? I'm trying to find the sheets.

[Iwriteyouressays]

Tough piece. Jorge kills it as usual.

[adrypiano]

Let's have a look at his hand (0:14) and tell me he's human !

[figensco]

He was one of about a half-dozen veterans who could convincingly bring Romantic music to life. He had a colossal technique that never was used for its own sake; at all times his playing was subtle, refined, elegant. He could summon great masses of sound when necessary, but like the great Romantic pianists he never pounded.

[figensco]

big hands just like liszt.

[paulostroff99]

magnificent

[GhostChance1]

Bolet could play this on a Young Chang and it would still command attention.

I have this DVD and the sound is great! And I'm usually not a Baldwin fan.

To understand this Liszt Ballade, you simply have to have this performance in your library.........

[rvcclub]

Combines virtuosity with talent and sentimental transmission. Congratulations

for making available. Thanks

[freeqwerqwer]

Liszt can't compose ballads like Chopin

[Will84ABA]

@freeqwerqwer

and

Chopin can't compose ballads like Liszt....

[opportunityforgrowth]

Yes, the Arrau version is sublime, but I think Bolet has something very beautiful to say here too. His Liszt cycle has become a kind of household standard. Much as like Arrau, it is Bolet's Liszt recordings that I seem to return to more and more these days.

[Ray0X0]

Esta balada de Liszt es realmente bellísima... sin embargo en manos del maestro Claudio Arrau es simplemente sublime...

[IloveAlexisBledel689]

Bolet was such an amazing pianist!

So musical....

[georgecziffra]

I'm glad he played the alternate ending. The original ending doesn't fit with the piece at all.

[paulprocopolis]

Finely done in Bolet's usual carefully considered way. I don't think the rather thin Baldwin piano tone serves him very well.

[virtuoso691]

The tone of the Baldwin piano is not thin. Jorge preferred the Baldwin and played it for decades. He certainly was more qualified than you to decide which piano served him well. The sound on the DVD is quite good.

[paulprocopolis]

Ah well, he had more in common with Liberace than one might have thought!

[virtuoso691]

Yes, both preferred the Baldwin, both played Liszt, and both had great audiences. And you?

[Arfat]

@virtuoso691 you mad?

[aardvaark069]

Totally agree. He had been a Bechstein artist before he went to the totally inadequate Baldwin piano.

[Lisztomaniacgal]

and Liszt!!!!xx

[Lisztomaniacgal]

I love love love Bolet...thank you so much!

[fabrizzzio48]

thanks for the great post Virtuoso 621.

Do you know of the date of the performance?

Thanks

[virtuoso691]

April 19, 1987 Georgia-Pacific Auditorium, Atlanta, GA

[fabrizzzio48]

Many thanks.

[trigalg693]

Hmmm...I really liked it until he got to the very end, which I thought could be lighter.

[vincentmic]

Great !! As usual with Bolet playing Liszt