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From the Secretary

Dear l'iember,

THE LISZT SOCIETY liay 1965

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You will, we hope, be glad to hear that the Liszt Society, through its Committee, is endeavouring to renew communications with you and to bring you news and information about the Society's \vork and progress. To accomplish this a new Committee has been formed. It is determined to meet regularly and to record its activities and the first sign of new life in the Society has been the issue of a new Publicity Circular on a world-wide basis to ltembers, Universities, Conservatoires, Concert Halls, Libraries, etc. In this 'Way \·Je hope to re-establish the existence of the Society, to give members something for their money and to attract new members who are interested in our work. The ?ublicity Circular has defined the aims and functions of the Society and the Comm.ittee is r.ov: busy trying to push its work a little further.

The next step is to send you, on a regular basis, a Newsletter, of 'Which this is the first issue for a considerable number of years. \Je can only hope that your interest in the t>ociety is unabated and we look forward eagerly to receiving your comments and suggestions so that they may be considered by the Co~~ittee and implemented as far as possible. 2lease send any comments you have to me at my home address, Gunnersbury Lodge, ~·ryford, Berkshire, England. All letters will be ack:nm-1ledged and replied to in detail as far as it is humanly possible.

Ue hope to send you further Newsletters as far as v!e can on a three-monthly basis. Your Committee is now meeting once a month and considers all the items on its hgenda. One scheme we have in mind is that each NevJsletter should contain an introduction from myself, con~enting on the ~ociety's progress, and the following:-

(1} An article on some interesting aspect of Liszt and his works, for which contributions from I.iembers are earnestly invited and will be most gratefully received.

(2) Information on available publications.

(3) Lists of available recordings.

(4) !Jews about our forthcoming Liszt Society Publications.

(5) News about forthcoming Social events which we hope to organise and 'Where our rlembers can meet together in informal surroundings.

,.·

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For this first Newsletter \ve have been very fortunate in having available the services of some of our Committee members for the contributed items. Mr. Louis Kentner very kindly offered to translate the Hungarian poems prefacing Liszt's 1'Five Hungarian Folksongs" in Volume Three of our Society Publications and we are delighted to publish his translations in this, our first News­letter for 1965. I.ir. Kentner also wrote to me saying that he would be delighted to write some controversial articles for us and to play on occasion to our Society. Both these most generous offers have, needless to say, been received with acclamation and give us an excellent stimulus for 1965.

r.lr. Keith Fagan, another of our Committee members, has also responded to the call of our Newsletter with alacrity and has given us an excellent list of available recordings. His offer to keep the recording list up-to-date is most gratefully received.

If \ve can continue to hold and improve our momentum we shall feel that the Society is doing a good job of work. We hope for your continued support and any suggestions you have to make will certainly be considered by the Committee as expeditiously as possible. \"le hope you will find this NevJsletter interesting and enjoyable.

With Best Wishes to you all,

Barry Goalby

Hon. Secretary

N.B. Views expressed in this Newsletter are those of individual contributors and not of the Society as a whole.

Our President

The Committee is gratified to report that Mr. Louis Kentner has kindly accepted the Presidency of the Society. Mr. Kentner'a work on Liszt's behalf, particularly in days when the climate of opinion was less favourable than it is now, is well known. Less well known is his interest in the affairs of this Society and the substantial help he has already given to its Committee. We are confident that with him as President the Society will enter a new period of activity and influence in the musical world.

,, .. , 1 I

"Lisztiana"

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The Five Hungarian Folksongs by Mr. Louis Kentner

Mr. Kentner very kindly offered these translations and we hope you will all be interested in them because no translations appear in Volume Three of the Liszt Society Publications. ~tr. Kentner has asked us to say that they are prose translations of poems and have no literary pretensions. ''!e hope you enjoy their pungent style.

No. II

"Oh, how dirty is this your scarf~ Perhaps you have no mistress? Give it to me, let me wash it clean and white. And I'll be your mistress."

''If all the treasures of the sea be mine, I would give it all for you, my treasure. Only to be able to say to you sometime: 'i,iy vJife, my S'VJeet little pigeon!' "

No. III

"How sad is this life for me, since you left me, my darling. For you were the star of my happiness. Without a star how dark is the night~ "

No. IV

"I searched far and \vide in villages and towns. nothing but miserable stables. Having found no under me, I stole the Commissar's horse. I beg Commissar, not to shoot my horse from under me. thief~ You tremble for the horse, not for your

No. V

I found horse for you, Master

'You damned own life~' "

"In the forest, the shade of the deep forest, the sad, lonely dove sits and cries alone. It sobs and sobs and bitterly it weeps, until the pain and anguish bring its mate back. Would I could go with you, my little dove~ But it's no use, I cannot be yours. Never, never can I be yours, though, my God, my heart bursts with love for you!"

A LISZT DISCOGRAPHY by Keith Fagan

There are two drawbacks to an article ofthis kind. Firstly, it is likely to be partly or wholly out of date before it is published, and secondly, it is bound to be selective, the writer expressing views which, however experienced he may be, cannot possibly coincide with the views of every one of his readers.

Nevertheless, records are a very good method of studying music and getting to knoH it, and members of the Liszt Society who, like me, find much of the composer's music beyond their pianistic attainments, may welcome the appearance of a guide to acceptable records of some of Liszt's immense output.

It is as a composer for the piano that Liszt is best knm·m and, with very few exceptions, I think it is in the field of piano solo music that we will find his finest music.

I think it is generally accepted by nOi .. , that the B minor Sonata can be numbered among the masterpieces of piano music. Fortunately, it is frequently played and seems to be very popular. It has been recorded by several of the world's leading pianists and I have four versions in my collection, HorO\·dtz on COLH 72 (recorded in 1932), Vasary on LPEM 19258 (stereo SLPEM 136258), Oadon on ALP 2051 (stereo ASD 600) and Curzon on LXT 6076 (stereo SXL 6076). There is a good deal to be said iri favour of each of these records, but I find Curzon by far the most satisfying in the long run. There is a g~andeur and noble dignity in his reading which is never quite equalled by the other pianists.

Tiie reverse side of Curzon's record is valuable for the only recording to date of the second version of the Berceuse, which he plays exquisitely. The remaining pieces on this record are the third Liebestraum, the 'first Valse Oubli~e and Gnomenreigen, all of which Curzon plays to perfection. Such playing coupled with one of Decca's finest recordings make this one of the ~ost desirable Liszt recordings in the catalogue, and I would certainly recommend it as the first choice in any collection.

The fine Dante Sonata from the second book of Annees de Pelerinage is another masterpiece of which there are several recordings. Indeed the three books of Annees contain some of the most delightful gems in Liszt's opus. Many of them are available in various recordings on general release in this country, but very nearly the v1hole of Annees is available to special order from importers played by Ciccolini. FALP 772 (stereo .ASDF 77,2) contains Suisse complete. FALP 773 {stereo ASDF 773) has the seven pieces from the second year, Italie, including the Dante Sonata, and FALP 774 {stereo ASDF 774) is devoted to the third year, also Italie, containing some of those extraordinary late works, including the two pieces entitled "Aux Cypres de la Villa d'Este", Sunt Lacrymae Rerum and Sursum Corda.

Ciccolini's performances have a great deal to recommend them and the recordings are excellent. This is certainly a version of Annees to be investigated, and the third volume is a ''must''.

. Suisse is also recorded complete by Sergio Fiorentino on DEL 12032 (stereo SDEL 18032). These are thoughtful, restrained performances vJhich vJill appeal to many people, though the recording is not so good as the ill4V import. The Delta has, however, the advantages of immediate availability and a cheaper price on its side.

The only other record of excerpts from Annees which I ·want to mention is ALP 1987 (stereo ASD 538), which contains Sposalizio, Il Penseroso, Dante Sonata, Fountains at the Villa d'Este, Canzonetta del Salvator Rosa and Gondoliera and Tarantella from Venezia e Napoli, the last two pieces being omitted from the Ciccolini recording. The pianist here is Louis Kentner and the performances are in every way outstanding. I have certainly never heard a more convincing reading of the Dante Sonata which, in Kentner's hands, has exactly the qualities I find so praiseworthy in Curzon's reading of the B minor Sonata. Kentner enjoys a very good recording, '"hich helps to make this another essential item in any Liszt collection.

All three pieces in Venezia e Napoli have been recorded on DEL 12015 by Fiorentino. Although the performance is a very good one, neither it nor the recording is quite in the same class as the Kentner record. I recommend Fiorentino's disc all the same because it contains some other interesting items. Fiorentino gives the only available performances of the Grande Fantaisie de Bravoure sur La Clochette and Ab Irato. I also like his version of the Grand Galop Chromatique, though he is outclassed in the first Mephisto Waltz in at least tvJO other recordings.

These last two pieces with their devil-may-care virtuosity are ideal vehicles for Cziffra, who records them on ALP 1534, which also contains the first Valse Oubliee, the Rapsodie Espagnole, the Valse-Impromptu, Gnomenreigen, Fountains at the Villa d'Este and the Eug~n Onegin transcription. Cziffra is not to everyone's taste: ALP 1534, however, is not one of his most controversial records and does contain some very lovely piano playing.

Cziffra' s recording of the b;el ve Transcendental Studies is the only available complete version and it is impossible to be indifferent to it - you will either love it or hate it.

For all its faults, I like the Cziffra version of the Transcendental Studies. I think he certainly catches to perfection the ~ood of such pieces as the A minor study, Mazeppa, \·Tilde Jagd and Chasse-Neige. I also like his reading of no. 10 in F minor, which I call highly original with very free rubato, but which detractors call highly eccentric and pulled about unmercifully~ There are two records in this set, ALP 1915 and 1916.

The six Paganini Studies·fit conveniently onto one side of a long playing record and there are three or four versions in the catalogue of which I have heard only one, Gary Graffman on RB 16249 (stereo SB 2118). This is a very good version well recorded, but not, I would say, unsurpassable. The reverse side has the ubiquitous Liebestraum, the D flat concert study, the eleventh Hungarian Rhapsody, Il Penseroso and the third

Consolation. It is an interesting and perfectly adequate Liszt recital, but if you turn to Heliodor 478095, which also contains the third Consolation and La Campanella, played this time by Tamas Vasary, you will hear the difference beh1een the very good and the outstanding. Vasary's Heliodor is one of the best bargains on the market. All the music is well known and comprises, in addition to the pieces already mentioned, the sixth and fifteenth Rhapsodies, the second Consolation, the Valse-Impromptu and the Rigoletto paraphrase. This excellently recorded recital by Vasary is, with the Curzon and Kentner records already men­tioned, one of the real treasures in Liszt discography.

The majority of Liszt's operatic and other transcriptions have been dismissed by most critics as valueless trivia, but I doubt whether modern audiences would treat them so contemptuously if they were given a chance to hear them. Some of them, for example the Don Juan Fantasy, the Fantasy on themes from 'Norma', the Faust Vlal tz and the transcription of Is'oldes Liebestod, are surely works of genius which do not merit the neglect into which they have fallen. Even if we do not hear these works very often in the concert hall, there are h1o excellent records devoted to pieces of this kind, though one of them has been deleted and may be difficult to find now.

On Vox PL 10580, which was deleted for a while but which has now happily been restored to the catalogue, Alfred Brendel plays the transcriptions from 'Lucia di Lammermoor', 'Il Trovatore', 'Norma', the 'Oberon' Overture, the Benediction and Oath from 'Benvenuto Cellini', the Pilgrims' March from 'Tannh~user' and 'Isoldes Liebestod'. These are all splendid performances quite well, if not brilliantly, recorded.

The late Egon Petri's Westminster record, X\·rn 18968 (stereo V:ST 14149), has been deleted, but any amount of trouble taken to find a copy will be well worth while. It contains the Dance of the Elves and ·wedding March from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Beethoven's 'Adela~de', the Faust \·Jal tz, the transcription from 'The Marriage of Figaro' (completed by Busoni) and Busoni's transcription of the first Mephisto Waltz. Petri made this astonishing record when he was 80 and I never cease to be amazed at the power and brilliance of it. In spite of a very few muffed passages, he far outshines most of his younger colleagues. The excellent recording adds the finishing touch to another record which seems to me to have that star quality which makes it an inval~able acquisition to the collector.

There are few lady pianists who can do justice to Liszt's music, but one need have no qualms about Edith Farnadi, who collects the three Liebestr!ume, the two Ballades and the two Legends on CLP 1751. This is an intelligently planned, beautifully performed and well recorded programme. I do not think it is quite in the same class as the four outstanding records I have already mentioned, but it ought to form part ot the essential Liszt discography if. only because the bvo Ballades and two of the Liebestrgume are so infrequently played or recorded and it is unlikely that we will get a better recording of these pieces.

The last record of Liszt's piano solo music I want to deal with is DEL 12021 (stereo SDEL 18021), where Fiorentino plays a

selection of pieces taken from the volumes published by the Liszt Society comprising Nuages Gris, the first 'La Lugubre Gondole', Richard Wagner - Venezia, Vier kleine Klavierstijcke, the second Elegy, Sleepless - Question and Ans\ver, In Iv!emory of Pet8fi and Unstern. This is one of Fiorentino's best records and shows him completely in s~pathy with this rather esoteric music. If anyone needs convincing of the value and haunting beauty of these pieces from the end of Liszt's life, this record will be difficult to resist. There are many people, possibly even members of the Society, who are repelled by Liszt's final compositions. I '"'as myself when I first heard them, but I have found that, with increasing familiarity, they exercise a kind of magnetic fascination ·which turns into love the more one plays them, hears them, studies them.

Liszt's works for piano and orchestra are well represented in the record catalogue. There are several excellent records of the br1o piano concertos including a very good bargain price version by \·;ilhelm Kempff and the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Anatole Fistoulari on ACL 58. In 1962, Philips released their record of the concertos (ABL 3401, stereo SABL 207) with Sviatoslav Richter and the London Symphony Orchestra under Kyril Kondrashin. Although differences of opinion exist about Richter's qualities, I have always been among those who consider him one of the world's greatest pianists, and I think there can be little doubt in the minds of most music lovers who have heard him play Liszt that he is one of the composer's finest exponents. I think his record of the concertos can certainly be classed as a 'must'. I have lived with it for at least two years and have found it to be one of those rare records which does not pall with repeated hearing.

Next in popularity after the concertos is probably the Hungarian Fantasia, and there are several records of it meriting serious consideration. Those who buy John Ogdon's fine version of the Sonata will find the Hungarian Fantasia on the other side, and also the only available recording so far of the Rapsodie Espagnole orchestrated by Busoni. These are excellent perfor­mances and recordings which I thoroughly recommend. A more interesting record of the Fantasia for the specialist perhaps is the Deutsche Grammophon with Shura Cherkassky and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Herbert von Karajan. (LPM 18692, stereo SLPM 138692). This has, in addition to the Fantasia, the 5th and 12th Hungarian Rhapsodies - the 5th and 2nd in the orchestral versions '"hich are played here - and the tone poem 'Mazeppa'. The performances and recording are nothing short of stunning, and this is certainly one of the finest records ever of Liszt in his virtuoso mood.

The splendid 'Totentanz' re)o~ces in two good recordings. For bargain hunters there is Peter Katin with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Jean Martinon on ACL 156, backed by two works of Mendelssohn. This I find quite adequate, but the Mendelssohn works are slight and frothy and do not bear constant repetition. Alfred Brendel with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and Michael Gielen on Vox PL ~1030 is a much better buy for the Liszt enthusiast as the record also contains the little known Mal~diction together with four piano solo works, the first I'l.ephisto Waltz, Csardas Macabre, the second version of 'La Lugubre Gondole' and 'Unstern'. The stereo version of this record, STPL 511030 omits the solos. The recording on the mono (the only version I have heard) is adequate without being outstanding, but the performances are magnificent and make this one of the most

interesting and instructive Liszt records on the market.

The position with the two fine symphonies is disappointing. A few years ago we had three or four good versions of the Faust symphony and there have been two LPs of the Dante. At the time of writing this article {March 1965), there is just one recording of the Faust symphony, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra und~r Leonard Bernstein with Charles Bressler with 'Les Preludes' as a fill-up on ERG 72221-2, stereo SBRG 72221-2, and no recording at all of the Dante. I cannot comment on the CBS 'Faust' as 1 have not heard it, but the recent deletion of the version by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Sir Thomas Beecham with Alexander Young was a tragedy. This was a wonderful set of records, perfectly performed and recorded and with one of the finest tone poems, 'Orpheus' as a fill-up, an absolute essential in Liszt discography. This recording on ALP 1737-8 (stereo ASD 317-8) is worth looking for and may still be quite easy to find.

Deutsche Grammophon have recently deleted many records.that were available for several years, including a 'Faust' symphony with Ferencsik that was well reviewed when it first appeared. Unfortunately, their fine recordings of the Gran Mass (LPM 18646, stereo SLPM 138646), also with Ferencsik, and of the Hungarian Coronation Mass (LPM 18668, stereo SLPM 138668) have been caught in the net. The loss of these excellent records is a matter of the deepest regret, but some dealers may still stook copies.

At least we can be grateful for the bargain price Saga records of the Missa Choralis on XID 5105 and Via Crucis on XID 5079. Both are performed very beautifully by the BBC Northern Singers under Frederick Jackson with Gordon Thorne at the organ.

Perhaps the least known part of Liszt's output is his songs, and they are certainly not fully represented on records. We do have one record, however, which is a gem and happily escaped the recent Deutsche Grammophon axe. This is a recital of Liszt's songs by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau with Joerg Demus. The programme consists of 'Es muss ein wunderbares sein', the three Petrarch sonnets (yes, sung for once~), 'Oh~ Quand je dors', 'Die drei Zigeuner' 1 'Die=vgtergruft' 1 'Der AlpenjMger 1

,

'Blume und Duft', 'Vergiftet sind meine Lieder', 'J'ai perdu ma force et ma vie' and 'Ihr Glocken von Marling'. This exquisite record is one of the most desirable song recitals in the catalogue quite apart from its value to Liszt specialists. I recommend its purchase as a matter of urgency in case Deutsche Grammophon decide to have another blitz in the near future. It is perfectly recorded on LPM 18793, stereo SLPM 138793.

Summary of records mentioned in Liszt discography. Adopting the practice adhered to in the .catalogue of Liszt's works at the end of Sacheverell Sitwell's indispensable book 'Liszt', the author of this article has appended a star to those recordings he considers of particular value or interest or of an unusual excellence of performance or recording. It must be borne in mind, however, that this is only the reflection of a personal opinion, and an amateur one at that. The author hopes, however, that his discography and this summary may be of some assistance to. members of the Society and apologises for any error he may have committed.

1) ~sonata in B minor, Liebestraum no. 3, Valse Oubli~e no. 1, Gncimenreigen, Berceuse.

Clifford Curzon, Decca LXT 6076, SXL 6076*.

2) Toccata, Sonata in B minor, Funerailles, with Schumann: Traumeswirren, Presto appassionato.

Vladimir Horowitz, HbTV COLH 72.

3) Sonata in B minor, Polonaise no. 2 in E, Don Juan Fantasy. Tamas Vasary, DGG, LPEM 19258, SLPEM 136258.

4) Sonata in B minor, Hungarian Fantasia, Rapsodie Espagnole. John Ogdon, ill~, ALP 2051, ASD 600.

5) Annees de Pelerinage (complete except for 'Venezia e Napoli'). Aldo Ciccolini,. HMV import FALP 772-4, ASDF 772-~. (Volume 3 FALP/ASDF 774)*.

6) Annees de Pelerinage, 'Suisse'. Sergio Fiorentino, Delta DEL 12032, SDEL 18032.

7) Ann~es de Pelerinage: S~osalizio, Il Penseroso, Dante Sonata, Les jeux d'eau a la Villa d'Este, Canzonetta del Salvator Rosa, Gondoliera, Tarantella.

Louis Kentner, HlfV ALP 1987, ASD 538*.

8) Sposalizio, Grand Galop Chromatique, Grande Fantaisie de Bravoure sur 'La Clochette' de Paganini, Mephisto Waltz no. 1, Ab Irato, Gondoliera, Canzone, Tarantella.

Sergio Fiorentino, Delta, DEL 12015.

9) Mephisto Vlaltz no. 1, Valse Oubliee no. 1, Rapsodie Espagnole, Valse-Impromptu, Grand Galop Chromatique, Gnomenreigen, Les Jeux d'eau a la Villa d'Este, Eugen Onegin paraphrase.

GyBrgy Cziffra, fll~, ALP 1534.

10) Transcendental Studies, Hungarian Rhapsodies nos. 9, 10 and 13. GyBrgy Cziffra, FThW, ALP 1915-6.

11) 6 Paganini Studies, Liebestraum no. 3, Concert Study in D flat, Hungarian Rhapsody no. 11, Il Penseroso, Consolation in D flat.

Gary Graffman, RCA, RB 16249, SB 2118.

12) Hungarian Rhapsodies nos. 6 and 15, Valse-Impromptu, Consolations nos. 2 and 3, La Campanella, Rigoletto paraphrase.

Tamas Vasary, Heliodor, 478095*.

13) Transcriptions: 'Lucia di Lammermoor', 'Il Trovatore', 'Norma', 'Oberon' overture, 'Benvenuto Cellini', 'Tannh!user', 'Isoldes Liebestod'.

Alfred Brendel, Vox, PL 10580*.

14) Transcriptions: 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', 'Adelaide', 'Faust Waltz', 'Marriage of Figaro', 'Mephisto Waltz·no. 1'.

Egon Petri, Westminster deletion XWN 18968, WST 14149*. I.

15) 2 Ballades, 3 Liebestr!ume, 2 Legendes. Edith Farnadi, HMV, CLP 1751::c.

16) Nuages Gris, La Lugubre Gondole no. 1, Richard Waqner-Venezia, 4 kleine klavierstUcke, Elegy no. 2, Sleepless-Question and answer, In memory of Pet8fi, Unstern.

Sergio Fiorentino, Delta DEL 12021 SDEL 18021*.

17) Don Juan Fantasy, Petrarch Sonnet no. 104, Hungarian Rhapsody no. 10.

Charles Rosen, Columbia SAX 2551.

18) Piano concertos nos. 1 and 2. ¥lilhelm Kempff, LSO, Fistoulari, Decca ACL 58.

19) Piano concertos nos. 1 and 2. Sviatoslav Richter, LSO, Kondrashin, Philips ABL 3401, • SABL 207*.

20) Hungarian Fantasia, Mazeppa, Hungarian Rhapsodies nos. 2.and 5. Shura Cherl:assky, Berlin PO, Karajan, DGG LPM 18692, SLPM 138692):c.

21) Totentanz with Mendelssohn: Rondo Brillante, Capriccio Brillante.

Peter Katin, LPO, Martinon, Decca ACL 156.

22) Totentanz, Mal~diction, La Lugubre Gondole no. 2, Mephisto Waltz no. 1, Csardas Macabre, Unstern.

Alfred Brendel, VSO, Gielen Vox PL 11030, STPL 511030 (stereo Totentanz and Malediction only)*.

23) Faust Symphony, Les Preludes. NYPO, Bernstein, Bressler, CBS BRG 72221-2, SBRG 72221-2.

24) Faust Symphony, Orpheus. RPO, Beecham, Yo\mg, HMV deletion ALP 1737-8, ASD 317-8*.

25) Gran Mass. Budapest PO, Ferencsik, DGG deletion, LPM 18646, SLPM 138646.

26) Hungarian Coronation Mass. Budapest Kronungs Church Choir and Orch, Ferenosik, DGG deletion LPM 18668, SLPM 138668.

27) Missa Choralis. BBC Northern Singers, Jackson, Thorne, Saga XID 5105.

28) Via Crucis. BBC Northern Singers, Jackson, Thorne, Saga XID 5079*.

29) 'Es muss ein wunderbares sein', 3 Petraroh Sonnets, 'Oh~ Quand je dors', 'Die drei Zigeuner', 'Die V!terqruft', 'Der Alpenj§ger', 'Blume und Duft', 'Vergiftet sind meine Lieder', 'J'ai perdu ma force et ma vie', 'Ihr Glooken von Mar1ing'.

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Joerg Demua, Dct; LPJI 18793, SLPM 138793*.

/ /

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STOP PRESS

Shortly after the completion of this discography, three new records of Liszt' s music were announced which vrill be of interest to me~~LS of the Society.

Firstly, a wonderful piece of news: the deleted Westminster recording of the Dante symphony with the Budapest Radio Orchestra and Lehel has been given a nev1 lease of life by liMY on CLP 1813 (stereo CSD 1574), scheduled for release in April 1965. Had the original \Jestminster disc been still available when the discography was written it would certainly have been thoroughly recommended and starred in the summary. The performance is superb and the recording was of the same high quality. There is no reason to suppose that ffivW's new pressing will be inferior and this will undoubtedly be a record to treasure - a most important issue and the only version of the Dante symphony in the catalogue. Dare one hope that HMV will reprieve Petri's marvellous record of some of the transcriptions referred to in the discography? Westminster released it contemporaneously with their record of the Dante symphony.

A new recital by Cziffra was issued this month {March 1965), AL 3465, stereo SAL 3465, containing theE major Polonaise, Petrarch Sonnet no. 123, the Prelude and Fugue on the name B.A.C.H. (the first LP recording of the piano version), the Concert Studies in D flat and F minor, the Tarantella from "Venezia e Napoli", and the Legend, "St. Fran~ois de Paule marchant sur les flots 11

• ~fr.at I have said about Cziffra's performance of the Transcendental Studies applies very much to this record.

The other record which must be mentioned briefly, though I have not heard it, is a new Vox, PL 12150 (stereo STPL 51250}, where Alfred Brendel gives us yet another version of the B minor Sonata, which he couples with the Dante Sonata, the 11th Rhapsody and the first recording (on LP anyv-1ay - my knowledge of 78 recordings is very sketchy) of the Bagatelle without tonality. I have read several reviews of this record, all of \·lhich are good, and my own experience of Brendel as a Liszt player indicates that this ought to be a valuable issue.

Liszt's piano works known to have been recorded by his pupils

No authentic recording of Liszt's own playing is, alas, known. However, some of his music is known to have been recorded by his pupils and we are indebted to ~x. J.J.S. Farmer for the following notes.

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Euaene D'Albert

Val.se impromptu A flat Sonata in B minor Scherzo and March Liebestraum No. 3 Polonaise in E Au Bard d'une Source

\v. roll W. roll W. roll \V. roll D.A. roll Polydor disc

D'Albert largely directed himself to composition after about 1912. He made a number of gramophone discs up to his death in 1931 but his playing had deteriorated considerably from the days when his career was solely that of a concert pianist. In his heyday D'Albert was considered the greatest of Liszt's pupils.

Moriz Rosenthal

My Joys, Chant Polonaise no. 5 Soirees de Vienne no. 6 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody

Victor Victor Victor

Rosenthal was considered purely a 'virtuoso' in the derogatory sense in his younger days. In maturity he probably deserved the opinion held of him by many fellow musicians and critics as one of the world's supreme players of 19th century Romantic music. He played the Don Juan Fantasia and the Figaro fantasie at many recitals.

The performance of the 2nd Rhapsody shown above contains an immensely difficult brav~ra coda by Rosenthal. This contrasts with Rachmaninov's introspective and analytical coda on the rare Edison disc.

A. Friedheim

Les Veux d'Eaux a la Villa d'Este Rhapsodies No. 2

No. 6 No. 9 No.lO No.l2

Deux Legendes No. 1 No. 2

Paganini Etudes No. 3 No. 5

Ballade No. 2 Feux Follet (Transcendent

Study No. 5)

D.A. D.A. Columbia disc D.A. D .A. w D.A. D.A. D.A. D.A. w Columbia

Note. Friedheim was not of the same stature as Rosenthal ana-D'Albert. but his recirals contained a higher proportion of Liszt's music than either of those pinn:fst:s. He seems to hav~ played mainly original works from Liszt's Weimar period.

/ F. Lamond

Un Sospin 3rd Concert Etude D flat Liebestraum no. 3 Tarantella (Venezia e Napoli) Grande Tarantella de Bravura from

Massienello Gnomenreigen

D.A. and W D.A. and W. HI>IV HMV

HIVlV

Note. Lamond had.a tremendous reputation on the continent as-a Beethoven player. He tended to play less of Liszt's works than other pupils. In fact he was a strong advocate of Liszt's stature as a composer in a period when musical opinion was running in the other direction. His performances of the two Tarantellas are both exceptionally fine. Until recently he v1as the only pianist to have recorded the Grande Tarantella de Bravura and the last to include it in public recitals.

Siloti

Benediction de Dieu Dans La Solitude D.A. 12th Rhapsody D.A.

Siloti made no gramophone discs. He was considered one of the more eminent of Liszt's pupils. He is known to have revived interest in the Todentanz giving many performances of that work in the 1880's after it had been unperformed for many years.

Emil Sauer

Concerto in A minor Concerto in E flat Consolation in D flat Ricordanza Transcendent Study no. 9 Don Juan Fantasie Gnomenreigen Transcendent Study no. 4 Mazeppa

Columbia Columbia Columbia Columbia vi Columbia \V. and D .A.

Note. Sauer's performances of ~he two piano concertos are authoritative as the conductor was Felix Weingartner, another great pupil of Liszt.

Sauer made other recordings not shown here since, like Rosenthal and Lamond, he lived well into the era of elec­trical gramophone recording.

Vladimir de Pachmann

Liebestraum no. 3 Rigoletto Paraphrase Polonaise in E Concert Study in F minor Wlazinka A flat

. Columbia Victor and Columbia Columbia ··w , . , . G an4 .'J .. ;.unreleased

Note. de Pachmann was not really a pupil of Liszt but knew nrm-well at a time when he (Pachmann) had acquired a repu­tation as a pianist. Pachmann may be classed as a Liszt pupil in certain respects, nevertheless. After a con­ventional musical training he retired from Concert giving on hearing a recital by Karl Tausig, perhaps Liszt's greatest pupil. After several years of intensive study entirely on his own, he emerged again self taught with the distinctive style of playing which made him famous. We know Liszt admired his playing from James Huneker's writing and Pachmann seems to have consciously imitated the more intimate manner of playing which Liszt adopted in his later years. The recording of the Mazurka, ironically unreleased, is the only known attempt to record this work.

B. Slavenhagen

12th Rhapsody W 2 Legendes W Paganini Etude no. 5 La Chasse W

Note. The performance of the 12th Rhapsody and of the 2nd or-the Legendes is subtitled "in the manner of the composerw. Both are exciting but somewhat freakish performances with much of the orthodox score rearranged and with some surprising changes in harmony. Liszt, who revised all his work copiously, probably often gave performances Which were at odds with the published score since where memory failed him he probably improvised. Compare with the following pianist.

A. Riesenauer

lOth Rhapsody Chant Polonaise no. 1

w w

Note. Liszt thought highly of Riesenauer, a favourite pupil, ana-it was unfortunate that this artist died comparatively young in 1912. We know from Weingartner that Riesenauer was a practical advocate of Liszt's music. He would, for example, give performances with another pianist of two piano versions of Liszt's Faust Symphony and other orchestral works with little personal gain except the satisfaction that he was enabling audiences to hear these works. Both the above recordings are subtitled like Slavenhagen's "played in the manner of the composer". In fact certain similarities are noticeable in the choice of differing decorations and harmonies. Certainly they are both musical curiosities of unusual interest.

Guide to type of Recording

W = vlel te Mignon Co. of Freiburg, Ger·mnny. Performances recorded with original dynr1mics on l>*""r: r.,__.:r;d::c·d l'<\!JI"!r .r; olls. The rolls have to be played back on an e] eolr ioal \y v.~ ... er (;;:rl Welte reproducing piano.

'\ ..

/ They give life-like performances but are still suspect as authentic reproductions of the original performance. Further research in this field is desirable.

D.A. = Duo Art. These were reproducing piano rolls made by The Aolian Co. The same reservations and qualifications apply to Duo Art Rolls as to Welte.

A.= ft~pico Roll, made in the U.S.A. as were most D.A. rolls.

A SOCIAL GATHERING

The Committee is seriously considering organising a Social at which Members can meet informally. So far nothing has been defined and your suggestions are most welcome. Please make them to the Secretary. Further news will be circulated as soon as possible.

ThrowJh the kindness of I~Irs. Barrett, part of the library of sheAt music belonging to the late Hr. D.L. Barrett has been given to the Society and is at present stored by Dr. Harrison. He cannot undertake to run a lending library but would be willing to have prepared xerographic copies of the rarer items at cost price. The list of works available is:-

'Complete' piano works. Peters (lst world war) edition. Leipzig. 15 Hungarian rhapsodies. Lengnick. 1905. 2nd Hungarian rhapsody. Ricordi. 2nd Hungarian rhapsody. Salabert. 12th Hungarian rhapsody. Salabert. 13th Hungarian rhapsody. Salabert. 13th Hungarian rhapsody. Litolff. 16th and 17th Hungarian rhapsodies. Universelle. 19th Hungarian rhapsody. Breitkopf. Six Paganini studies, with earlier versions. Salabert. La campanella. Busoni version. Transcendental studies. Schirmer. 1903. Transcendental studies (1-4). Salabert. Hungarian fantasy, 2 pianos. Durand. Six concert studies. Ricordi. (Waldesrauschen, gnomenreigen,

studio di perfezionamento, lamento, legerezza and sospiro). 28 Schubert lioder transcriptions. Augener. Schubert: the trout. Augener. Schubert: litany. Augener. Schumann: W idmung. Schirmer. . Song transcriptions. Litolff. {Alabjew, nightingale and chanson

bohemienne; Beethoven, Adelaide; Liszt, Lorelei; Schumann, Frfihlingsnacht and Widmung).

42 Leider; Beethoven, Franz, Mendelssohn, R and Clara Schumann. Breitkopf.

Die Lorelei, transcription. Benjamin. Es muss ein Wunderbares sein, transcription. Breitkopf.

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Bevezct~s €s magyar Indul6. Breitkopf. Chant polonais 5, Chopin. Schirmer. Ann~es de Pelerinage, three years. Peters. Au bord d'une source, with 1836 version. Salabert. Soir~es musicales de Rossini, no.ll: L'orgia. Schott. Soir~es musicales de Rossini, no.l2: Li marinari. Schott. Rossini transcriptions. Litolff. (La promessa, la regatta

veneziana, la gita in gondola, la danza, stabat mater and la charit~).

Melodies polonaises, Ganes de Woroninoe. Augener. Rigoletto paraphrase. Schirmer. Rigoletto paraphrase. Ricordi. Rigoletto paraphrase. Schott. Liszt-Busoni, Figaro fantasy. Breitkopf. Overture to Fromes-Juges, Berlioz. Sohott. Overtures to Freischutz and Oberon, Weber. Schlesinger. William Tell, Rossini. Sohott.

. - ... . • ..!t

Ungarisch, by Ferdinand David, transcription for piano. Augener. Five pieces. Litolff. (Mephisto waltz, grand galop chromatique,

mazurka brillante, berceuse, ungarischer Sturmmarsch). Rose softly blooming, Spohr. Transcription. Novelle. Paraphrases, God save the Queen and La Marseillaise. Durand. Faust waltz, Gounod. Bote & Book. Hungarian coronation march, piano. S chuberth. Schlummerlied, Weber. Kistner. Soir.~es italiennes. Six amusements on themes of Mercadante.

Durand. Twelve studies, op 1. Hofmeister. Ave maria. Benjamin. Benediction et Serment de Benvenuto Cellini, Berlioz. Litolff. Pilgrims march from Harold in Italy, Berlioz.