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I wonder how long it'll take to learn La Campanella. It's currently on the top of my "Want-to-master" list but I just don't have the time nor the proper piano to learn it on...

Hopefully i can learn it in a year or something...

I've only started on the first page but even then, I still can make mistakes on the jumping with the right hand.. Maybe its too hard for me?

I've completed my Grade 8 AMEB but that was nearly 3 years ago.

Hands are probably too weak to do them now

Oh and by the way.. something just crossed my mind. Would you think that La Campanella should be treated as a technical piece and thus musicality should not be priority number one or should musicality be the number one priority?

Or is this a stupid question and that both should NOT exist without the other?

I don't think it's a stupid question but I do think that musicality while playing a technically difficult piece is exactly what separates a good performance from a great one. I've heard recordings of Liszt (and Chopin's and Rachmaninoff's and ...) Etudes that sound like Hanon drills and I've heard some of each that are beautiful pieces of music - while still hitting all the notes and meeting the technical demands of the piece.

As far as priority is concerned, I suppose it's like learning any other piece. The first step is to get the notes in your fingers then up to tempo then focus on making it beautiful.

Not sure if I can call myself a devotee just yet, because I was only really introduced to Liszt's work within a matter of days ago. I just wanted to chime in on this thread because recently another forum member's post took me to the Transcendental Etudes, played by Berezovsky, on YouTube. Not familiar at all with Liszt (nor Berezovsky), I was BLOWN AWAY! For about a week I've gone back to watch and listen to these videos and have searched for more by Liszt.

And today, as I was taking a quick break from work to run to the store, I was flipping through the radio stations and stopped on public radio, which was playing something that caught my ear so I left it there. Very shortly after, I pulled into my parking spot at the store but I could not bring myself to turn off the radio. I had to know what piece they were playing. It was WONDERFUL. So, I sat in the parking lot until it was over (and what an ending it was!), really hoping they would say what was just played. And they did. It was Liszt's Rhapsodie Espagnole!

The music of his that I've come across so far really stirs things inside me (as cheesy as that may sound). I am so anxious to learn about and hear more by this intriguing composer. Thank goodness for the PW search feature!

Guess I know how to make a short story long, huh?

Tina

Very nice to see we've got another Liszt convert! Berezovsky's Etudes are quite classic. I do suggest that you check out a couple other recordings though, just to gain some perspective. Berezovsky has a very 'perfect' playing style that might not suit everybody. I enjoy it a lot though.

Thanks Playadom. I very much enjoy Berezovsky's style. To me, he is as much a joy to watch playing as he is to listen. However, I have made my way through pieces played by Kissin, Cziffra and Li so far, but have not yet heard enough to form a very knowledgeable opinion on whom I may favor or to even be able to differentiate between their playing styles.

Tina

Yes, welcome to Lisztomania, TT! There is so much great music of his to discover-- I have to admit, Cziffra just blows me away, although I like Li and Kissin very much too. Horowitz played some amazing Liszt as well. Enjoy !

Sophia

I second the motion! Its been a year since I've read all three volumes of Liszt's life from Alan Walker. It still amazes me that F. Liszt had any time to compose, since he graciously gave up his time to constantly keep company with friends, traveling throughout Europe, performing publicly and teaching at Weimar, not to mention taking holy orders! The man led 3 full lives, and he leaves a legacy of his "music of the future". I love Bolet and Arrau for his Transcendental Etudes.

HerrLiszt

If you think Berezovsky is good, listen to Cziffra. Not only does Cziffra have possibly the best technique of anyone in the 20th century, but he makes more music than anyone else in the transcendental etudes.

Balakirev and all,

I was so impreesed with Cziffra's Youtube performance of Liszt's La Campanella, that I ordered these collections from Amazon.com. They are scheduled to arrive, Monday, 11/12/07. The two collections have a combined total of thirteen CDs. I'll surely get a sense of Cziffra's mercurial style after listening to these:

"Les introuvables de Cziffra" [BOX SET] [IMPORT] (8 CDs)

and,

"Liszt: Works For Piano" [BOX SET] [IMPORT] (5 CDs)

I'm eagerly awaiting.

Lisztener

Lisztener,

I was also very impressed with Cziffra's La Campanella and am interested in hearing more from this exceptional pianist. I'd be interested in your impressions of the CD sets you've bought once you've had a chance to listen to them. With 13 CD's to get through it might be a while though!

I have Cziffra's HRs, and they are a blast!

I've only heard a few, but he interprets them a little too freely for my tastes. Especially #6.

Awesome! I also enjoy listening to these two phenomenal recordings: The Early Columbia Records and EMI Great Artists of the Century.

That's unfortunate for you. You will surely be disappointed with his #10, available here on youtube--an incredible interpretation that makes Berezovsky's sound dull and boring. While Cziffra adds so much fire and personality to his recordings, the #10 is played with extreme passion, and it works. If by "freely" you mean that TE's should not be musical, but rather exercises, then I hope that link changes your mind. (Note the foolish comments about Cziffra playing "too slow"--apparently they have not listened to any of his other recordings)

I was talking about his Hungarian Rhapsodies.
Thanks for the T.E though, I'm quite fond of that recording now. You're quite right about the fire and passion.

I wouldn't have said anything about the tempo, the recording's too good so I didn't even realize until I read about it.

My only problem is the stretto. He plays it a lot better than most, but I've only heard one recording out of many that does it perfectly.

I'm glad you enjoy that recording, and I completely agree about the stretta--it is exciting but I wish he didn't delay parts of it. But which recording are you talking about? I would love to see someone begin the stretta just a bit slower and quickly speed it up to Cziffra's speed, without the delays.

I'm talking about Leslie Howard's recording of the 1837 version.

In the final version, the part begins(after the 10 arpeggiated chords) with the Db-C octaves.

In the 1837 version, instead of the chords, you have Db-C-B repeated twice in octaves, and then the stretta begins with C-Db, inverted(I'm not completely sure, I don't have the sheet music or the recording in front of me), but not noticeably different.

I have that Howard's recording, which I don't like very much - it is too dry to my tastes. The piano also sounds way too bright; on my stereo (I have a mighty Krell powered system), it resonates with windows in my living room to the point that I have to turn down the volume being afraid of having to replace them :-) Do you know which piano that was? Should be mentioned somewhere on CD jacket, but I lost it...

They're not the best recording, but I'm not sure of any other recordings of the 1837 versions. His no. 8 from that set is just way too slow.

It gives you an idea of how good Liszt was if he was really able to play all of these etudes at tempo.

I am entering this thread late as I have always been totally intimidated by the music of Liszt, and have never even attempted to play any. However, I thought I would share this with you. Forgive me, if it has already been discussed, and off topic.

I just watched a video of Lang Lang, playing Liszt's Hungarian rhapsody #2. His antics were painful to watch, so I closed my eyes and the playing was absolutely marvelous. What a fantastic composition, and Lang Lang brought a wonderful wildness to it. Very gypsy like. I have an old live and unpolished recording of some gypsy music, totally uninhibited. The Cimbala (sp?) was out of tune, and it was a regular jam session--free for all. They played the Liszt Hungarian rhapsody #2, and it sounded a lot like the free interpretation of Lang Lang.

You all may disagree with me, but I love that wild, unfettered way of playing those Rhapsodies

Gaby Tu