Starter Packs

Complete your collection with these curated titles, grouped at a special discount.

Shop Now
Naxos

Liszt: Schubert Song Transcriptions / Avan Yu

$19.99 Only 2 left

Details

Composer
SCHUBERT LISZT
Artist
Avan Yu
Format
CD
Label
Naxos
Released
Apr 14, 2015
Catalog #
8573349
UPC
747313334971

About

Winner of the 2012 Sydney International Piano Competition, the Canadian pianist Avan Yu (born 1987) devotes his Naxos CD debut to Schubert songs transcribed by Franz Liszt. He offers all but two of the 12 Winterreise transcriptions, plus 10 selections from Liszt’s piano version of the entire posthumously published Schwanengesang cycle.

Liszt’s lavish filigree may sound a little overloaded by purist standards, yet he always treats the melodies with respect and intelligent registral deployment. Many young virtuosos plow through these transcriptions with little indication that they know the original songs. Avan Yu, however, brilliantly reconciles Schubert’s melodic trajectory with Liszt’s intricate textures.

In Winterreise’s Mut, for example, Yu differentiates the accompaniment’s springing rhythms and the legato vocal line through touch and timbre, while Das Wirtshaus’ arpeggio waves maintain a discreet background, even at climaxes. In Schwanengesang I’m especially impressed by how Yu gives shape and meaning to Am Meer’s tremolos, rather than rattling them off in the manner of a silent movie pianist. Likewise, Kriegers Ahnung’s chromatic flourishes and double notes convey appropriate flair yet never overstep their supporting role.

It would have been nice if Liszt’s six remaining transcriptions from these cycles had also been included, but one shouldn’t complain in light of Yu’s highly appealing artistry. On the basis of the present release, plus a number of YouTube links that feature some excellent Debussy Etudes and a complete audio-only Liszt Sonata, I’d like to hear more of Avan Yu both on disc and in concert.

-- Jed Distler, ClassicsToday.com

Tracklist 18 tracks

  1. 1 No. 1, Gute Nacht (After Schubert) 05:09
    Track
    1
    Title
    No. 1, Gute Nacht (After Schubert)
    Duration
    05:09
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  2. 2 No. 2, Die Nebensonnen (After Schubert) 03:53
    Track
    2
    Title
    No. 2, Die Nebensonnen (After Schubert)
    Duration
    03:53
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  3. 3 No. 3, Mut! (After Schubert) 01:20
    Track
    3
    Title
    No. 3, Mut! (After Schubert)
    Duration
    01:20
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  4. 4 No. 4, Die Post (After Schubert) 02:43
    Track
    4
    Title
    No. 4, Die Post (After Schubert)
    Duration
    02:43
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  5. 5 No. 5, Erstarrung (After Schubert) 03:07
    Track
    5
    Title
    No. 5, Erstarrung (After Schubert)
    Duration
    03:07
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  6. 6 No. 8, Der Leiermann (After Schubert) 02:15
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 8, Der Leiermann (After Schubert)
    Duration
    02:15
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  7. 7 No. 9, Täuschung (After Schubert) 01:38
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 9, Täuschung (After Schubert)
    Duration
    01:38
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  8. 8 No. 10, Das Wirtshaus (After Schubert) 04:49
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 10, Das Wirtshaus (After Schubert)
    Duration
    04:49
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  9. 9 No. 1, Die Stadt (After Schubert) 02:48
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 1, Die Stadt (After Schubert)
    Duration
    02:48
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  10. 10 No. 2, Das Fischermädchen (After Schubert) 03:06
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 2, Das Fischermädchen (After Schubert)
    Duration
    03:06
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  11. 11 No. 4, Am Meer (After Schubert) 04:36
    Track
    11
    Title
    No. 4, Am Meer (After Schubert)
    Duration
    04:36
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  12. 12 No. 5, Abschied (After Schubert) 04:28
    Track
    12
    Title
    No. 5, Abschied (After Schubert)
    Duration
    04:28
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  13. 13 No. 6, In der Ferne (After Schubert) 06:49
    Track
    13
    Title
    No. 6, In der Ferne (After Schubert)
    Duration
    06:49
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  14. 14 No. 7, Ständchen (After Schubert) 05:38
    Track
    14
    Title
    No. 7, Ständchen (After Schubert)
    Duration
    05:38
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  15. 15 No. 9, Frühlingssehnsucht (After Schubert) 02:42
    Track
    15
    Title
    No. 9, Frühlingssehnsucht (After Schubert)
    Duration
    02:42
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  16. 16 No. 11, Der Atlas (After Schubert) 02:35
    Track
    16
    Title
    No. 11, Der Atlas (After Schubert)
    Duration
    02:35
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  17. 17 No. 13, Die Taubenpost (After Schubert) 04:36
    Track
    17
    Title
    No. 13, Die Taubenpost (After Schubert)
    Duration
    04:36
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu
  18. 18 No. 14, Kriegers Ahnung (After Schubert) 06:44
    Track
    18
    Title
    No. 14, Kriegers Ahnung (After Schubert)
    Duration
    06:44
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Avan Yu