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Review
Hamelin trumps all the aces in a masterly and virtuoso Liszt recital. --Gramophone,May'11
Marc-Andre Hamelin is a phenomen:such rippling eveness of tone,flawless clarity,and rapid-fire precision together suggest something of what contemporary accounts tell us Liszt's own playing was like.Hamelin cmes up with one of the finest recordings I've yet heard. Performance ***** Recording ***** --BBC Music Magazine,May'11
The Canadian pianist has given us many fine recordings in the past,but this a great one,Like few living pianists he is innately and temperamentally at one with the composer. ***** --Classic fm Magazine,June'11
Critics' Choice 2011 --Gramophone,Dec'11
Marc-Andre Hamelin is a phenomen:such rippling eveness of tone,flawless clarity,and rapid-fire precision together suggest something of what contemporary accounts tell us Liszt's own playing was like.Hamelin cmes up with one of the finest recordings I've yet heard. Performance ***** Recording ***** --BBC Music Magazine,May'11
The Canadian pianist has given us many fine recordings in the past,but this a great one,Like few living pianists he is innately and temperamentally at one with the composer. ***** --Classic fm Magazine,June'11
Critics' Choice 2011 --Gramophone,Dec'11
CD Description
As performed at the Proms 2011
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Liszt was allegedly uncomfortable when playing in the presence of Alkan, whose technique was also phenomenal.
I would suggest that, were a time machine in existence, he would also have been/be distinctly nervous if playing in Mr. Hamelin's presence.
The playing on this disc is simply amazing.
Hamelin's technique transcends the extreme demands of the music and allows him to bring out so many voices, often lost with more liberal use of the sustaining pedal.
The outburst near the conclusion of the Fantasie and Fugue on the theme B-A-C-H is unbelievable.
There are multiple recordings of the Liszt sonata. No artist seems content until he has recorded the work at least once.
Thankfully Hamelin has now given us his rendition and, although acknowledging there cannot be one 'perfect' recording as some aspects of the work are a matter of taste, would nevertheless suggest that this recording of the sonata comes as close as possible to this position.
The virtuosity is stunning but it is not allowed to dominate at the expense of the music's inner beauty.
The disc also contains the Bénédiction de Dieu dans la Solitude and the Venezia e Napoli.
I cannot recommend this disc too highly and would plea with Mr. Hamelin and Hyperion Records for him to record much more of the main stream repertoire in the future.
I would suggest that, were a time machine in existence, he would also have been/be distinctly nervous if playing in Mr. Hamelin's presence.
The playing on this disc is simply amazing.
Hamelin's technique transcends the extreme demands of the music and allows him to bring out so many voices, often lost with more liberal use of the sustaining pedal.
The outburst near the conclusion of the Fantasie and Fugue on the theme B-A-C-H is unbelievable.
There are multiple recordings of the Liszt sonata. No artist seems content until he has recorded the work at least once.
Thankfully Hamelin has now given us his rendition and, although acknowledging there cannot be one 'perfect' recording as some aspects of the work are a matter of taste, would nevertheless suggest that this recording of the sonata comes as close as possible to this position.
The virtuosity is stunning but it is not allowed to dominate at the expense of the music's inner beauty.
The disc also contains the Bénédiction de Dieu dans la Solitude and the Venezia e Napoli.
I cannot recommend this disc too highly and would plea with Mr. Hamelin and Hyperion Records for him to record much more of the main stream repertoire in the future.
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
After a recent recital by Hamelin, I bought this CD and I have to say it was the first time I felt I truly loved the Liszt Sonata. I became fascinated by this music, eventually comparing lots of different versions to see if Hamelin was indeed that special. I listened to Demidenko, Argerich, Richter, Arrau, Brendel, Zimerman, Hough and Pollini and I have to say none of these excellent recordings is as complete as Hamelin's. Maybe others play it with a higher emotional intensity (Demidenko), or clarify the structure better (Richter and Brendel), but none of them has Hamelin's unique fusion of effortless technical control, cumulative excitement and grasp of the architecture without sacrificing expression.
Listen to Hamelin's ravishing soft touch in the Quasi adagio section - nobody can compete with such a wide-ranging control of dynamics and nuance. All this is coupled with a white-hot intensity that was sometimes missing in some of Hamelin's earlier recordings.
The filler pieces are all excellent - Hamelin's repeated notes in the Tarantella are jaw-droppingly fast and even, and both here and elsewhere his bass-oriented sonority, staggering control of dynamics and swagger are in full display.
In short, this recording is a triumph for Marc-Andre Hamelin - I can't wait to hear more.
Listen to Hamelin's ravishing soft touch in the Quasi adagio section - nobody can compete with such a wide-ranging control of dynamics and nuance. All this is coupled with a white-hot intensity that was sometimes missing in some of Hamelin's earlier recordings.
The filler pieces are all excellent - Hamelin's repeated notes in the Tarantella are jaw-droppingly fast and even, and both here and elsewhere his bass-oriented sonority, staggering control of dynamics and swagger are in full display.
In short, this recording is a triumph for Marc-Andre Hamelin - I can't wait to hear more.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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2 reviews
27 of 31 people found the following review helpful
The best gift for Liszt bicentennial birth year
6 May 2011
Format:Audio CD
Sonata b-minor is unquestionably one of the most important 19th century Piano Sonata among many others. And this is also the 'main course' of the newest CD of Marc-Andre Hamelin. Since I got and listened to this CD 2 months ago, there are many special features of Hamelin's interpretation of it. First, he played all octave passages from the first g-minor theme, b-minor theme (Allegro energico), until the last octaves coda with very clean pedal, but without any harsh or banging sound. Never I heard this kind of pyrotechnical and musical perfection before this recording. Second, at the Andante Sostenuto he played with many new colors and layers which are unthinkable by many virtuosos before him. There is no place for monotonous sound here. And finally at the final fugato to the recaps of Allegro energico, he took unique time spacings, but tremendously so musical. For other masterpieces like Fantasia on B-A-C-H and Venezia e Napoli are also sounded perfectly . One point I need to clarify about Marc's interpretation in any kinds of piano music is that he interpreted these masterpieces far beyond any 'textbook' mannerism but never he played with unnecessary exaggeration..For sure, Hamelin's technique, clarity, and musicianships for this Sonata is far beyond Argerich (Debut Recital 1975, DG), as so many piano lovers in the world admire this recording. Hamelin succesfully championed this Sonata particularly, as he gave to the world the best gift for the bicentennial Liszt year of 2011..Bravissimo Marc!
11 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Extraordinary Liszt playing
29 May 2011
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This has to be one of the greatest Liszt recordings of all time-Hamelin's playing has always been technically perfectly chiseled but has never had this rhapsodic musicality and freedom.The Venezia-Napoli is staggering. Ivan Davis
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