"...there's no denying that this performance has only infrequently been matched. Here's display with the brains and heart intact..." -- Raymond Tuttle, www.classical.net

"...the dazzling Liszt E flat Concerto he recorded in 1952 with Eugene Ormandy which [Arrau] told me was done virtually in one take..." -- Robert Layton, Gramophone [8/1991]

Classical Music

LISZT GREAT HITS

Kasparas Uinskas is an internationally acclaimed pianist, praised by critics for his virtuosity and romantic style. Mr. Uinskas is performing at most important world concert halls - New York's Carnegie Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, London Wigmore Hall, Madrid Auditorio Nacional, J. F. Kennedy Center in Washington, DC among others. "... great pianist and musician... " Carnegie Hall (New York Concert Review). "... his interpretations overcome all limits... " Berlin Philharmonie (Klassik in Berlin)

Christmas chez Liszt, imagined by one of the UK's most exciting piano virtuosos. Composed and compiled by Liszt between 1873 and 1881, the 'Christmas Tree' suite has more to offer than carol transcriptions and twinkly sketches of festive joy. It begins with one of the composer's typically free transcriptions of a plainsong Christmas hymn harmonised in the 17th century by Michael Praetorius, and takes in the procession of the Magi towards Bethlehem and a lullaby at the cradle, but also cuts away to contemporary times with a sparkling scherzo to depict the lighting of candles on the tree. The last four of the suite's twelve movements bear only tenuous connections to the festive season, yet they bring some of the most memorable inspirations of all: evocations of evening bells, of 'Yesteryear' in the composer's searching late style, and then Hungarian- and Polish-themed themed pieces. As Mark Viner remarks in his detailed booklet introduction to the album, there is nothing quite like Weihnachtsbaum even in Liszt's own prodigiously varied catalogue. It is impossible to categorise, and yet every bar sounds uniquely Lisztian. Perhaps even less familiar to most listeners, on account not least of it's sheer scale, is the vast three-part oratorio which Liszt based on the life of Christ. Liszt made solo-piano transcriptions of two Christmas-themed orchestral movements from the oratorio's first part, picturing in turn the Shepherds at the Manger and, once more, the 'march' of the Magi. In complement, Mark Viner presents the composer's pianistic translation of the ancient carol Christus natus est. Mark Viner's recordings for Piano Classics have attracted international acclaim. 'The melodies in his hands are not simply played, they are sung on the piano!' (Fanfare, reviewing a previous Liszt album, PCL0116). 'If Alkan could play it as Viner does here, no wonder he was the only pianist in front of whom Liszt was hesitant of playing.' (Gramophone, reviewing Viner's latest volume in his Alkan cycle, PCL10275).

VIA CRUCIS

Ravel, Wagner & Liszt: Transcriptions for Piano 4-Hands

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

Classical Music

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

Classical Music

Classical Music

LISZT: PIANO CONCERTOS NOS 1 &

Poetic Fantasies: Liszt's Transcriptions & Monuments

“Matsuev Liszt”, the pianist’s sixth album, was recorded in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire in August 2011, which was dated to match the famous Hungarian pianist and composer Franz Liszt’s 200th anniversary. This album includes some of the most interesting compositions by Liszt: Piano Concertos no. 1 and no. 2, “Totentanz” and the symphonic poems “Orpheus” and “Heroic elegy”.

The album was recorded with the Russian National Orchestra headed by the outstanding Russian director Michail Pletnev - People's Artist of RSFSR, laureate of 3 State awards of the Russian Federation and the Grammy Award (2005). The sound man of the album is Philipp Nedel, laureate of 2 Grammies (2002, 2009), who worked with Matuev on his latest releases, including "The Carnegie Hall Concert".

“Liszt is one of my favorite composers," says Denis Matsuev, "Each of his works is connected with a certain period in my life. For example, I won the XI International Tchaikovsky competition with Liszt, Piano Concerto no. 1. My teacher Sergey Dorensky and I decided to perform the Liszt Piano Concerto no. 1 instead of Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto no. 3 literally a few days before making the application. And it turned out to be the right decision.”

During 13 years after the victory the musician nurtured the idea of creating an album dedicated to the great Hungarian composer. Director Michail Pletnev helped Denis put this idea into practice: “We have been talking a lot with Michail Vasilyevich Pletnev about Liszt and his works. And, of course, we played Liszt together very often. That’s why I didn’t even think about another program and another orchestra: Liszt – and only with the Russian National Orchestra! And by all means with 'Orpheus,' which is a rarely played piece. I am sure that even the listeners who are familiar with this music will find out something new in it”.

In is notable that earlier, on October 22, 2011, Denis Matsuev became the only pianist who was invited to play Liszt on the festival day at the National Concert Hall in Budapest. Before the concert Denis was honored with a chance to touch the piano in the Liszt Museum that once belonged to the great musician. Along with the concert Denis held a meeting in Budapest with the students and professors of the piano faculty of the Liszt Academy and made a presentation of this, his new album.