Liszt's two great Dante-inspired works, the Sonata of 1839 and the Symphony of 1857, have been coupled together on disc before, though not in the versions for two pianos presented here. The transcription of the symphony - Liszt's own, dating from 1859 - makes for a disquieting experience. Uncompromisingly stark and austere in comparison with the more sensuous orchestral original, the piano writing, particularly in the Purgatorio, seems to pre-empt the dissonant terseness of Liszt's later works. The sonata is more equivocal. The transcription is by pianist Vittorio Bresciani - co-founder, with Francesco Nicolosi, of the Franz Liszt Piano Duo - and it tends to overburden an already complex score with extra tremolandos and whirling arpeggios. You can't fault the performances, which are exemplary in their combination of bravura virtuosity and expressive intensity, with the closing Magnificat sung by the Hungarian Radio Children's Choir.
CD: Liszt: Dante Symphony; Dante Sonata, Franz Liszt Piano Duo/ Hungarian Radio Children's Choir/Thesz
Tim Ashley
(Naxos)
Contributor
Tim Ashley
Tim Ashley is a Guardian classical and opera critic, though he's also keen on literature and philosophy so you might sometimes find him cross-referencing all three. His work has also appeared in Literary Review and Opera magazine and he is author of a biography of Richard Strauss
Tim Ashley
The GuardianTramp
