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Signum Classics

Wagner Without Words / Llyr Williams

$27.99

Details

Composer
WAGNER LISZT GOULD
Artist
Llyr Williams
Format
CD
Label
Signum Classics
Released
Sep 09, 2014
Catalog #
SIGCD388
UPC
635212038826

About

Pianist Llyr Williams explores Wagner’s rich and evocative sound-world from a less well-known angle. Featuring insightful arrangements of Richard Wagner’s operas by Franz Liszt and Glenn Gould (as well as Williams’ own arrangement of music from 'Parsifal'), at the center of the program is a selection of Wagner’s own piano pieces – many of which were written earlier in his compositional career, hinting at the grand operatic masterworks which were yet to come.

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"Liszt’s transcriptions and fantasies on excerpts from Wagner operas are ingenious works that take you inside the music without the distractions, in a sense, of the orchestra and the voices, or 'Wagner Without Words,' to quote the title of this rewarding album by the splendid Welsh pianist Llyr Williams. Here he plays Liszt’s transcriptions ranging from the short, charming “Spinning Chorus” (from “The Flying Dutchman”) to the mesmerizing “Liebestod” (from “Tristan und Isolde”). Mr. Williams offers several of his own ambitious and impressive transcriptions, including his extended scenes from “Parsifal” and his tweaked version of Glenn Gould’s take on the Prelude to “Die Meistersinger.” There are also some piano pieces by Wagner, including a youthful 26-minute fantasy, a fascinating, if not great, work: you hear the 19-year-old Wagner beholden both to Beethoven and bel canto opera." – Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times

Tracklist 17 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 No. 1. Einzug der Gaste auf Wartburg 10:39
    Track
    1
    Title
    No. 1. Einzug der Gaste auf Wartburg
    Duration
    10:39
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  3. 2 Fantasia in F-Sharp Minor 26:01
    Track
    2
    Title
    Fantasia in F-Sharp Minor
    Duration
    26:01
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  4. 3 Wagner - Spinnerlied aus dem Fliegenden Holländer, S440/R273 06:30
    Track
    3
    Title
    Wagner - Spinnerlied aus dem Fliegenden Holländer, S440/R273
    Duration
    06:30
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  5. 4 Albumblatt in E Major 01:50
    Track
    4
    Title
    Albumblatt in E Major
    Duration
    01:50
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  6. 5 No. 2. Elsas Brautzug zum Munster 09:07
    Track
    5
    Title
    No. 2. Elsas Brautzug zum Munster
    Duration
    09:07
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  7. 6 Zuricher Vielliebchen-Walzer in E-Flat Major 01:09
    Track
    6
    Title
    Zuricher Vielliebchen-Walzer in E-Flat Major
    Duration
    01:09
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  8. 7 Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods): Prologue: Siegfrieds Rheinfahrt (Siegfried's Rhine Journey) (arr. G. Gould and L. Williams for piano 4 hands) 13:22
    Track
    7
    Title
    Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods): Prologue: Siegfrieds Rheinfahrt (Siegfried's Rhine Journey) (arr. G. Gould and L. Williams for piano 4 hands)
    Duration
    13:22
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  9. Disc 2
  10. 1 Wagner - Isoldes Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde, S447/R280 07:51
    Track
    1
    Title
    Wagner - Isoldes Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde, S447/R280
    Duration
    07:51
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  11. 2 Transformation Music 08:35
    Track
    2
    Title
    Transformation Music
    Duration
    08:35
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  12. 3 Parsifal and the Flower Maidens 06:22
    Track
    3
    Title
    Parsifal and the Flower Maidens
    Duration
    06:22
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  13. 4 Good Friday Music 06:25
    Track
    4
    Title
    Good Friday Music
    Duration
    06:25
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  14. 5 Albumblatt in C Major, "In das Album der Furstin Metternich" 02:55
    Track
    5
    Title
    Albumblatt in C Major, "In das Album der Furstin Metternich"
    Duration
    02:55
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  15. 6 Wagner - Phantasiestuck uber Motive aus Rienzi Santo Spirito cavaliere, S439/R272 09:35
    Track
    6
    Title
    Wagner - Phantasiestuck uber Motive aus Rienzi Santo Spirito cavaliere, S439/R272
    Duration
    09:35
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  16. 7 Sonate fur das album von Frau M.W. (Sonata for Mathilde Wesendonck) 12:47
    Track
    7
    Title
    Sonate fur das album von Frau M.W. (Sonata for Mathilde Wesendonck)
    Duration
    12:47
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  17. 8 Wagner - Walhall aus der Ring des Nibelungen, S449/R282 05:47
    Track
    8
    Title
    Wagner - Walhall aus der Ring des Nibelungen, S449/R282
    Duration
    05:47
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  18. 9 Albumblatt in E-Flat Major 04:29
    Track
    9
    Title
    Albumblatt in E-Flat Major
    Duration
    04:29
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams
  19. 10 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (The Mastersingers of Nuremberg): Act I: Prelude (arr. G. Gould and L. Williams for piano) 09:14
    Track
    10
    Title
    Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (The Mastersingers of Nuremberg): Act I: Prelude (arr. G. Gould and L. Williams for piano)
    Duration
    09:14
    Composer
    Richard Wagner
    Performer
    Llŷr Williams