(2/2) Clifford Curzon plays Liszt Piano Sonata, 1961 Live

Pianists are only human.

Clifford Curzon plays Liszt Piano Sonata, 1961 Live
Part 2


I split the parts like this to make sure people hear both the good and the bad.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• clifford
• curzon
• franz
• liszt
• piano
• sonata
• 1961

[pianopera]

Quite frankly, from the very first minutes it is disastrous! It sounds as if Curzon is really struggling, and the 1963 recording is much, much better...

What a difference with Levy's version! In all its eccentricity, his playing is volcanic, monumental, dramatic and powerful, but it also has precision, control and great sense of architecture...

[RabidCh]

@pianopera

I never said it would be for all! Though I like this a lot, I cannot say for sure it will be for everybody because of obvious reasons. The nervousness adds an extra "umph" to the performance, I feel that he becomes extra motivated to make something of the performance.

Anyway, I find that even though Levy has a strong sense of architecture the sense gets lost in all his details. I come away more amazed at how he plays the themes than the overall picture.

[pianopera]

@RabidCh I think a pianist can have different sorts of nervousness: one that doesn't "go against" your playing and in fact helps to give the performance an extra intensity -- and another that blocks some of your musical intentions and cripples your pianism. Despite some wonderfully inspired moments, I think C. suffered from the latter here, culminating in a massive memory lapse at 7:05.

Ernst Levy's recording made me rediscover the piece, it's so totally original and powerful!

[RabidCh]

@pianopera

I think a little of that way too, but I think that it comes in both forms here and I really believe that some of the playing here stands with the very best, and vice versa too (funny how that works)

I've listened to Levy's on and off for over 2 years and well, I do like it a lot but well, there's so many recordings of this... But I can say for sure Levy is the only person who makes the appearance of the theme at the second allegro energico an "ugly" revelation.

[markarama23]

Love it, warts and all... wild and wonderful, tremendous sweep and passion !

[gerardbedecarter]

My comment on part 1 applies also to this part (of course).

[coolcrimefighter]

ty rabidch :)

[paulostroff99]

As good as it gets.TYRabidCh for posting.