A Liszt Portrait - CD

ENGLISH

Franz Liszt was born 200 years ago in 1811, and died in 1886. He remains a controversial and much misunderstood figure. For many, he is one of the great composers, a true visionary to rank alongside the greats, and certainly as visionary as his son in law Richard Wagner. For others he is a showman, flashy and a purveyor of brilliant but shallow display pieces for piano. The latter view seriously undestimates Liszt -- yes he could throw out salon music in the style of his contemporaries Thalberg, Herz and Tausig. But his best piano music, and his best orchestral music is superbly crafted, often extremely complex and forward-looking, and deeply spiritual.

This 30CD collection contains his Faust and Dante Symphonies, Les Preludes, the Bergsymphonie, the symphonic poems, his major organ works, the Missa Solmnis, the Piano Sonata, the Petrarch Sonnets, the Transcendental Etudes, Hungarian Rhapsodies, his Wager and Verdi transcriptions, the piano concertos 1-3 including Malediction, Totentanz, de Profundis and the Fantasia on themes from Lelio by Berlioz, his orchestration of Schubert's Wanderer fantasy, The Dante Sonata , excerpts from the Years of Pilgrimage Book 1 (Switzerland) Book 2 (Italy), Paganini Etudes and more.

Several of the major keyboard works can be heard in comparative recordings by different artists, including Gilels captured in 1949 in the Sonata.

This collection will allow the listener to get to the heart of the composer, and hear the lighter more brilliant works of his early career alongside the later, complex more mystical works from the later years.

Other information:
- Major name artists
- CD-ROM containing comprehensive notes on the music and biographies
- A superb introduction to Liszt
- 2011 is the composer's bicentenary
- Historical recordings

CD1 Faust Symphony 1. Faust Symphony: I. Faust 27:09 2. Faust Symphony: Ii. Gretchen 16:26 3. Faust Symphony: Iii. Mephistopheles 21:50 CD2 Dante Symphony 1. Dante Symphony: I. Inferno: Lento 20:47 2. Dante Symphony: Ii. Purgatorio: Andante Con Moto Quasi Allegretto, Tranquillo Assai ' 19:13 3. Dante Symphony: Magnificat 07:09 4. À La Chapelle Sixtine 23:43 CD3 Symphonic Poems 1. Ce Qu'on Entend Sur La Montagne ('Bergsymphonie') 30:24 2. Tasso: Lamento E Trionfo 21:22 3. Les Préludes 15:53 CD4 Symphonic Poems 1. Orpheus 11:29 2. Prometheus 13:23 3. Mazeppa 15:47 4. Festklänge 19:48 CD5 Symphonic Poems 1. Héroïde Funèbre 24:04 2. Hungaria 22:16 3. Hamlet 14:35 CD6 Symphonic Poems 1. Die Hunnenschlacht 13:52 2. Die Ideale 26:49 3. Von Der Wiege Bis Zum Grabe: Die Wiege 06:26 4. Von Der Wiege Bis Zum Grabe: Der Kampf Ums Dasein 03:08 5. Von Der Wiege Bis Zum Grabe: Zum Grabe: Die Wiege Des Zukünftigen Lebens 07:39 CD7 Symphonic Poems 1. Two Episodes From Lenau's Faust: Der Nächtliche Zug 15:08 2. Two Episodes From Lenau's Faust: Der Tanz In Der Dorfschenke (Mephisto Waltz I) 11:48 3. Mephisto Waltz No.2 11:35 4. Szózat Und Hymnus ' Fantasie 10:13 CD8 Organ Works 1. Prelude And Fugue On The Name Of Bach: Prelude 04:40 2. Prelude And Fugue On The Name Of Bach: Fugue 11:40 3. Variations On 'Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen' 24:00 4. Fantasia And Fugue: 'Ad Nos, Ad Salutarem Undam': Fantasia 25:36 5. Fantasia And Fugue: 'Ad Nos, Ad Salutarem Undam': Fugue 11:45 CD9 Missa Solemnis 1. Missa Solemnis: I. Kyrie 07:24 2. Missa Solemnis: Ii. Gloria 12:35 3. Missa Solemnis: Iii. Credo 16:20 4. Missa Solemnis: Iv. Sanctus 05:34 5. Missa Solemnis: V. Benedictus 06:33 6. Missa Solemnis: Vi. Agnus Dei 08:09 CD10 Piano Sonata, Sonnets 1. Piano Sonata In B Minor 30:44 2. Sonetto 47, Del Petrarca 05:16 3. Sonetto 104, Del Petrarca 06:06 4. Sonetto 123, Del Petrarca 05:56 5. Légende No. 1: St. Francois D'assise, La Prédication Aux Oiseaux 09:47 CD11 Etudes D'Execution CD12 Hungarian Rhapsodies CD13 Hungarian Rhapsodie CD14 Transcriptions CD15 Transcriptions 1. Verdi Transcriptions: Ernani ' Concert Paraphrase 08:30 2. Verdi Transcriptions: 'Salve Maria' (From Jerusalem) 05:00 3. Verdi Transcriptions: 'Miserere' (From Il Trovatore) 08:14 4. Verdi Transcriptions: Rigoletto ' Concert Paraphrase 07:14 5. Verdi Transcriptions: Don Carlo ' Finale: Coro Di Festa E Marcia Funebre 07:28 6. Verdi Transcriptions: Agnus Dei (From Messa Da Requiem) 04:55 7. Verdi Transcriptions: Reminiscences De Boccanegra 11:26 8. Verdi Transcriptions: Aida ' Danza Sacra E Duetto Finale 11:01 CD16 Transcriptions 1. Miscellaneous Piano Transcriptions: Hochzeitsmarsch Und Elfenreigen Aus Der Musik Zu Shakespeares Sommernachtstraum Von Mend... 10:43 2. Miscellaneous Piano Transcriptions: Les Adieux: Rêverie Sur Un Motif De L'opéra Roméo Et Juliette De Gounod 09:43 3. Miscellaneous Piano Transcriptions: Sonnambula De Bellini: Grande Fantaisie [Sic] De Concert 15:09 4. Miscellaneous Piano Transcriptions: Les Sabéennes: Berceuse De L'opéra La Reine De Saba De Gounod 05:53 5. Miscellaneous Piano Transcriptions: Valse De L'opéra Faust De Gounod 11:01 6. Miscellaneous Piano Transcriptions: Valse D'adèle Pour Piano À La Main Gauche Seule Par Le Comte Géza Zichy 03:54 7. Miscellaneous Piano Transcriptions: Réminiscences De Don Juan De Mozart 18:44 CD17 Works for Cello and Piano 1. Malédiction For Piano & String Orchestra 15:40 2. Grande Fantaisie Symphonique On Themes From Berlioz's 'Lelio': Lento 12:19 3. Grande Fantaisie Symphonique On Themes From Berlioz's 'Lelio': Allegro Vivace 07:56 4. Grande Fantaisie Symphonique On Themes From Berlioz's 'Lelio': Andantino, Senza Interruzione ' Vivace Animato 03:47 5. De Profundis, Psaume Instrumentale For Piano & Orchestra: Andante 22:00 6. De Profundis, Psaume Instrumentale For Piano & Orchestra: Allegro Moderato 04:57 7. De Profundis, Psaume Instrumentale For Piano & Orchestra: Tempo Primo ' Allegro ' Allegro Marziale 06:41 CD18 Works for Cello and Piano 1. Piano Concerto No. 1 In E-Flat: Allegro ' 05:01 2. Piano Concerto No. 1 In E-Flat: Quasi Adagio ' 04:30 3. Piano Concerto No. 1 In E-Flat: Allegretto Vivace ' 02:22 4. Piano Concerto No. 1 In E-Flat: Allegro Animato ' 01:40 5. Piano Concerto No. 1 In E-Flat: Allegro Marziale Animato 04:02 6. Piano Concerto No. 2 In A: Adagio Sostenuto Assai ' 05:08 7. Piano Concerto No. 2 In A: Allegro Agitato Assai ' 01:54 8. Piano Concerto No. 2 In A: Allegro Moderato ' 04:55 9. Piano Concerto No. 2 In A: Allegro Deciso Sempre Allegro ' 02:46 10. Piano Concerto No. 2 In A: Marziale, Un Poco Meno Allegro ' 03:52 11. Piano Concerto No. 2 In A: Allegro Animato 01:42 12. Totentanz, Paraphrase On 'Dies Irae' 14:37 13. Piano Concerto No.3 In E'Flat, Op. Posth. 14:39 CD19 Works for Cello and Piano 1. Fantasia On A Theme From Beethoven's 'Ruins Of Athens' 10:47 2. Polonaise Brillante, After Carl Maria Von Weber 09:31 3. Concerto Pathétique In E Minor 16:19 4. Fantasy On Hungarian Folk Tunes 14:43 5. Wanderer-Fantasie, For Piano & Orchestra, After Schubert's Op. 15 In C: I. Allegro Con Fuoco, Ma Non Troppo 06:07 6. Wanderer-Fantasie, For Piano & Orchestra, After Schubert's Op. 15 In C: Ii. Adagio 06:43 7. Wanderer-Fantasie, For Piano & Orchestra, After Schubert's Op. 15 In C: Iii. Presto 04:31 8. Wanderer-Fantasie, For Piano & Orchestra, After Schubert's Op. 15 In C: Iv. Allegro 03:41 CD20 Historical and Live Recordings 1. Sonata 'Après Une Lecture De Dante' 16:27 2. Mephisto Waltz No.1 11:09 3. études D'exécution Transcendante (Selection): Prelude 00:45 4. études D'exécution Transcendante (Selection): Paysage 04:47 5. études D'exécution Transcendante (Selection): Feux Follets 03:32 6. études D'exécution Transcendante (Selection): Vision 04:06 7. études D'exécution Transcendante (Selection): Appassionata In F Minor 03:56 8. études D'exécution Transcendante (Selection): Harmonies Du Soir 09:39 9. études D'exécution Transcendante (Selection): Chasse Neige 04:40 10. Rhapsodie Espagnole 12:54 CD21 Historical and Live Recordings CD22 Historical and Live Recordings CD23 Historical and Live Recordings CD24 Historical and Live Recordings 1. Opera Transcriptions: Lucia Di Lammermoor: Sextet (Donizetti) 05:27 2. Paganini études: La Campanella In G-Sharp Minor 05:02 3. Paganini études: Variations In A Minor 05:14 CD25 Historical and Live Recordings 1. Tre Sonetti: No. 47 05:58 2. Tre Sonetti: No. 104 06:02 3. Tre Sonetti: No. 123 06:59 4. Venezia E Napoli ' Tarantella 09:17 5. Harmonies Poétiques Et Religieuses: Invocation 07:10 6. Harmonies Poétiques Et Religieuses: Bénédiction De Dieu Dans La Solitude 15:38 7. Harmonies Poétiques Et Religieuses: Pensées Des Morts 11:17 8. Harmonies Poétiques Et Religieuses: Funérailles 10:55 9. Harmonies Poétiques Et Religieuses: Cantique D'amour 06:21 CD26 Historical and Live Recordings 1. Waldesrauschen, S 145, No. 1 04:06 2. La Leggierezza ' étude De Concert No. 2, S 144 04:37 3. Liebestraum, S 541, No. 3 In A-Flat 04:22 4. Hungarian Rhapsody, S 244, No. 12 In C-Sharp Minor 09:37 5. Transcendental Study, S 139, No. 10 'Appassionata' 04:56 6. Piano Sonata In B Minor 29:56 7. Variations On Bach's 'Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen' 16:39 CD27 Historical and Live Recordings 1. Piano Sonata In B Minor (Recording 1949) 29:08 2. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 15 'Rákoczy March' 04:20 3. Piano Sonata In B Minor (Recording 1965) 27:30 4. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 9 'Peszter Carnaval' 10:28 5. Valse Oubliée No. 1 02:29 CD28 Historical and Live Recordings 1. Eglogue From 'Années De Pèlerinage, Year 1: Switzerland' Années De Pèlerinage, Year 2: Italy 02:45 2. Sposalizio 08:42 3. Il Penseroso 04:31 4. Canzonetta Del Salvator Rosa 02:58 5. Sonetto 123 Del Petrarca 06:45 6. Schubert Transcriptions: Die Stadt 02:32 7. Schubert Transcriptions: Die Junge Nonne 04:45 8. Schubert Transcriptions: Am Meer 04:04 9. Schubert Transcriptions: Frühlingsglaube 03:31 10. Schubert Transcriptions: Auf Dem Wasser Zu Singen 04:14 11. Schubert Transcriptions: Der Doppelgänger 04:12 12. Schubert Transcriptions: Erlkönig 04:51 CD29 Historical and Live Recordings 1. Réminiscences De 'Robert Le Diable': Valse Infernale (Meyerbeer) 10:02 2. Gnomenreigen 02:49 3. Mephisto Polka 03:59 4. Mephisto Waltz No. 1 10:39 5. Réminiscences De 'Don Juan' (Mozart) 17:04 6. Waltz From 'Faust' (Gounod) 10:10 CD30 Historical and Live Recordings 1. Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Tannhäuser (Wagner) 17:35 2. Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Rigoletto (Verdi) 07:27 3. Paraphrases And Transcriptions: A Midsummer Night's Dream: Wedding March & Dance Of The Fairies (Mendelssohn) 09:51 4. Paraphrases And Transcriptions: La Muette De Portici (Auber) 07:50 5. Grand Galop Chromatique 03:12 6. Valse Oubliée No. 1 02:49 7. Waldesrauschen 03:59 8. Les Jeux D'eau À La Villa D'este 07:17 9. Gnomenreigen 02:42 10. Valse-Impromptu 06:50 11. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 19 09:48