Franz Liszt: Schubert Song Transcriptions [CD]

Volume 5 of Naxos' Complete Piano Music of Liszt takes a different turn after the previous two volumes which surveyed 'Harmonies Poetiques et Relgieuses.' Oxana Yablonskaya, a somewhat obscure pianist, has recorded prolifically for Naxos: Glazunov's two piano concerti and Tchaikovsky's solo piano music. I've heard her Tchaikovsky and was quite taken with her nuanced and lyrical interpretations. I am extremely pleased by the choice of Schubert-Liszt for the present recording because as Leslie Howard's exhaustive Hyperion recordings have shown, Liszt transcribed a lot of Schubert! Being familiar with only Leslie Howard's recordings and a few stray performances by others, I think Oxana does a fine job. Her graceful technique and feeling goes a long way with these particular pieces, which are some of the finest lieder of Schubert's output.

The highlights are numerous. The first piece "Auf dem Wasser zu singen" (To Be Sung on the Water) is given a haunting and truly stimulating reading by Oxana. "Der Muller und der Bach" (The Miller and the Brook) is a rightfully famous Schubert work. If the original song is a warhorse for the tenors out there, Liszt's transcription is just as popular to the pianists. Indeed, a more lovely rendition of this music to solo piano can not be found. The music itself is among the most inspired of Schubert's compositions and Oxana plays it with beautiful articulation and dynamics. Schubert's most prevalent song, besides "Ave Maria" and "Erlkönig," is surely the "Ständchen" (Serenade) from the Schwanengesang. The bewitching and tantalizing beauty is the finest testament of Schubert's titanic gift for melody. Oxana's execution is probably the most distinctive I know; there is an effortless grace and breathtaking emotional involvement here. Liszt transforms this already spellbinding duo work into a gorgeous and self-sustaining piano piece. I was enthralled with Oxana's understanding of "Der Doppelganger," a somber and pensive work of unbelievable expression. It's one of my favorites and was also a favorite of Liszt's. His translation of Schubert's vocal lines and accompaniment is expert and effective; in Liszt's hands, I find the transcription entirely evocative of the Romantic and dark sound world of Mussorgsky's "Catacombs." "Gretchen am Spinnrade" (Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel) and "Der Wanderer" are outstanding achievements by themselves, and Liszt's genius as a transcriber should be evident to any familiar with Schubert's music.

What the reader of my review should also know about this Naxos release is that the liner notes are fantastic. Sometimes Naxos's main man, Keith Anderson, dwells on mechanical analysis and often churns out boring comments like the "subsidiary D-flat major theme emerges and the work ends in A-flat major." So it ends in the tonic... who cares? Anderson often leaves out vital information about a specific work's history. This is not the case for this particular disc. The CD booklet really aids in the appreciation of the music. The notes-writer actually details the story behind each piece, which, in my opinion, helps to make the music more personal and significant. The often romantic and forlorn poems that Schubert set to music are important contexts to have. And the liner-notes gives substantial background information as well as description of Schubert's musical treatment of his literary models. As for Liszt's transcriptions, it's necessary for the listener to bear in mind that while Schubert's lieder are faithfully transcribed, Liszt takes certain liberties in figuration and texture. But like his transcriptions of Beethoven and Berlioz, Liszt's Schubert are not mere "arrangements." The spirit of the composer is captured, the musical language of the vocal line and accompaniment are woven together seamlessly, and all of this is done through Liszt's vessel, the solo piano.

Bottom line: Liszt's Schubert transcriptions are an overlooked mine of jewels and Oxana's interpretations at the Naxos budget price should not be missed for any Lisztian or Schubertian.

Liszt transcribed the music of other composers brilliantly on the piano. Of all the composers Schubert was the one Liszt called the most poetic. Liszt loved Schubert and this is reflected in over sixty transcriptions of Schubert songs. This cd includes fourteen transcriptions of songs by Schubert. Some of my favorites on this cd are Auf dem Wasser zu singen meaning (To be sung on the water) comes from the poem: Amid the shimmer of the reflecting waves glides, like swans, the swaying boat; ah, on gently shimmering waves of joy glides like the boat, for from heaven above on the waves dances the glow of sunset about the boat. Wasserflut which means (Flood of Tears) is taken from Schubert's song cycle Winterreise. The story is about a wanderer who has left his beloved behind and makes his winter journey. Many tears have fallen from his eyes into the snow and with his burning sorrow melts the snow.Der Muller and der Bach (The Miller and the Stream) comes from song cycle Die schone Mullerin about a love sick man setting out into the world and comes from the poem: Where a true heart dies of love, there lilies wither on every bed; then must the full moon go behind the clouds so that men do not see her tears; then angels cover their eyes, and sob and sing the soul to rest. The next two transcriptions are of songs that were published after Schubert's death from my favorite cycle called Schwanengesang. Ihr Bild (Her Picture) is sadly reflective and comes from the poem: I stood in dark dreams and looked at her picture and the beloved face strangely began to come to life; about her lips came a wonderful smile, as tears of sorrow glittered in her eyes; my tears too flowed down my cheeks, and I cannot believe that I have lost you. Standchen (Serenade) is the most somber of this lieder cycle and emotionally moving. My two favorite songs are Der Doppelganger (The Double) from Schwanengesang. Liszt darkens the mood and moves forward to a dramatic climax, as the moonlight reveals the man's own figure, before his eyes and asks the Doppelganger why he suffers from pain and grief. Gretchen am Spinnrade (Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel) is from Goethe's Faust and reflects Gretchen as she spins and thinks of her lover Faust, who she knows will betray her. The song reaches a virtuostic climax as Gretchen recalls her handsome lover's features, the pressure of his hand and his kiss. I'm always left speechless at the end of that song. This is one of my favorite cd's and if you are like me and love Liszt's transcriptions of Schubert's emotionally touching songs I know you will enjoy this cd as much as I do.

It's not too hard to find a CD contains some Liszt's piano transcriprions of Schubert's lieder now---we got Kissin's few excellent interpretation, as well as Howard's complete 9-CD tome. But It's hard to find one full of famous songs, with different moods and sweet playing. And here it is. This CD contains 14 most famous lieder of Schubert. Yablonskaya's playing maybe not as deep as Kissin in some lieder (as Auf Wasser zu singen), and not as technic sparkling as Howard, But this is indeed a whole-heartedly performance.I am deeply moved by "Sei mir gegrusst". There is no denying Yablonskaya is a Schubertian.